Music Trade Review
Issue: 1912 Vol. 55 N. 13 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
string or strings to all other strings which have
Agreeable and Disagreeable.
vibration speeds in the right ratio with them. Of
Some of the combinations which we can effect
course, as long as the dampers remain pressed
between sounds are agreeable and others dis-
against all the strings except those which are
agreeable. If we sit down at the keyboard and
actually being sounded by the hammers, there will
run our fingers over the keys we get simply a
be no such effect. When, however, we lift the
series of detached sounds. If, however, we hold
dampers, through the pedal, we get the effect de-
one key down while another is struck we find that
scribed.
the two tones run into each other more or less,
although they die away quite quickly. Neverthe-
Finale.
less it is easy to produce very disagreeable effects
The reinforcement of a single tone in this way
this way, and so we have to be careful, while
tends to greater richness and also greater dura-
playing, not to allow this intermingling among
tion. So, if we keep the dampers raised, after
tones except when the combination is consonant.
striking one chord, and then proceed to strike an-
"Dampers."
other, the two sets of chords will jangle with each
As soon as we raise our finger from a key the other and spoil the whole effect. This is because
sound at once and abruptly dies away. This is
some tone in the one chord will surely jar with
because there is a "damper" in connection with
some tone in the other. The damper-pedal is
the string, which drops down and stifles the therefore a source of weakness as well as of
Some Physical Facts.
vibrations as soon as the finger pressure on the
strength. The novice who does not know just
The sounds which we evoke from the piano are key is relaxed. This damper is a pad of soft felt. what to do simply spoils what he is playing. But
generated directly from the vibrations of the When the finger depresses the key this pad is
the artist enriches and colors his tones. And he
raised from the string and allows it to vibrate.
strings, each of which gives out just so many
can do it because he listens to the chords that he
Let us go a step further. While we are playing
vibrations per second. Each string, thus vibrating
is playing and takes care to change pedal when
let us press down the right-hand pedal of the
at a fixed speed, will give us a fixed and corre-
the harmony changes—except, indeed, when, as
piano (not the player pumping pedal).
This
sponding sound, and no other. We call the chief
occasionally happens, he wishes deliberately to im-
raises a rod which lifts all the dampers from the
of these sounds after the first seven letters of the
part a dissonant effect. Of course, practice in lis-
strings, and holds them there as long as the foot
alphabet, A, B, C, D, E, F, G. To each other all
tening is what the player-pianist needs. The artist
pressure continues. As soon as we have done this
these sounds bear fixed relations, so that some of
will know exactly what tones will be sympatheti-
an entirely new character is imparted to the cally produced when a given chord or single tone
them may be combined with others to form pleas-
ing results. These we call consonant sounds. sounds of the piano. Every tone runs into the
is subjected to the reinforcement of the pedal.
next, there is a confused blurring and jangling,
Others, not so capable of unison, we call disson-
The player-pianist must listen and observe till he
and individual sounds are lost in a mixture of
ances. Then there are other sounds in addition
can recognize the generated tones and learn which
incoherent noise.
to those we have mentioned and also represented
make agreeable combinations and which do not.
by strings of the piano, which we call sharps and
A little practice will help one to judge discrimi-
What the Artist Does.
flats and which are interspersed between those al-
But let us suppose an artist at the piano. He natingly in a short time. Practice makes perfect.
ready mentioned. We call these latter sharps and
The player-piano would be a poor thing if there
continually uses the pedal. Yet, when he does it
flats of the former, according as they are above
were nothing about it to be mastered, perfected,
he makes the tone sing just as if it came from a
or below them. The black keys of the piano cor-
learned.
violin. The noisy piano is transformed into some-
respond with the sharps and flats, and the white
thing broad, majestic and singing. Yet both the
keys with the original series named after the let-
artist's apparent wonder and the novice's un-
The new store of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.,
ters aforesaid. At each twelfth sound of a com- pleasant noise were generated by fundamentally
in Cleveland, O., was formally opened last week,
plete series (including sharps and flats) we have
the same cause, namely, by that property of the
the feature of the opening entertainment being
what is called an octave, which is the beginning
string bridges and soundboard of the piano where-
the Virtuolo concerts given each afternoon and
of a new and similar series.
by they transmit the vibrations arising in any
evening.
tonal froth into a singer of noble tone and organ-
like resonance. Yet, if one is imperfectly ac-
quainted with the conditions under which it is
brought to life, this wonderful "soul" of the piano
-^as it has well been called—become simply a won-
derful nuisance. And this is as true with the
player-piano as with the ordinary instrument. Ex-
cept in cases where player and rolls are alike
equipped for automatic operation of the damper-
lifting device, it would appear that few player-
pianists achieve any understanding of the right
way to manipulate this essential device. In con-
sequence, we find that player-piano performances,
instead of being improved, are frequently ren-
dered hideous through the desperate effort of
people to manipulate something which they totally
misunderstand. A few words of explanation will
therefore be in order here.
A / f ANUFACTURERS and dealers visiting Chicago
can now inspect the Gulbransen player action with-
out leaving the loop district. The Gulbransen is the
action that can be installed in any ordinary upright piano.
At our demonstration parlors on the 12th floor of the new North
American Building, State and Monroe Streets, pianos of various makes and
sizes will be found equipped with the Gulbransen action. Investigate it,
undisturbed by the noise of machinery and in surroundings simulating those
of the home. A ten minutes' ride from our uptown quarters will then take
you to our large, new factory, 312-316 Union Park Court, where you can see
for yourself how these wonderful actions are produced.
GULBRANSEN DICKINSON CO.
12th floor North American Building, Northwest corner State
and Monroe Streets. Factory, 312-316 Union Park Court
CHICAGO
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
string or strings to all other strings which have
Agreeable and Disagreeable.
vibration speeds in the right ratio with them. Of
Some of the combinations which we can effect
course, as long as the dampers remain pressed
between sounds are agreeable and others dis-
against all the strings except those which are
agreeable. If we sit down at the keyboard and
actually being sounded by the hammers, there will
run our fingers over the keys we get simply a
be no such effect. When, however, we lift the
series of detached sounds. If, however, we hold
dampers, through the pedal, we get the effect de-
one key down while another is struck we find that
scribed.
the two tones run into each other more or less,
although they die away quite quickly. Neverthe-
Finale.
less it is easy to produce very disagreeable effects
The reinforcement of a single tone in this way
this way, and so we have to be careful, while
tends to greater richness and also greater dura-
playing, not to allow this intermingling among
tion. So, if we keep the dampers raised, after
tones except when the combination is consonant.
striking one chord, and then proceed to strike an-
"Dampers."
other, the two sets of chords will jangle with each
As soon as we raise our finger from a key the other and spoil the whole effect. This is because
sound at once and abruptly dies away. This is
some tone in the one chord will surely jar with
because there is a "damper" in connection with
some tone in the other. The damper-pedal is
the string, which drops down and stifles the therefore a source of weakness as well as of
Some Physical Facts.
vibrations as soon as the finger pressure on the
strength. The novice who does not know just
The sounds which we evoke from the piano are key is relaxed. This damper is a pad of soft felt. what to do simply spoils what he is playing. But
generated directly from the vibrations of the When the finger depresses the key this pad is
the artist enriches and colors his tones. And he
raised from the string and allows it to vibrate.
strings, each of which gives out just so many
can do it because he listens to the chords that he
Let us go a step further. While we are playing
vibrations per second. Each string, thus vibrating
is playing and takes care to change pedal when
let us press down the right-hand pedal of the
at a fixed speed, will give us a fixed and corre-
the harmony changes—except, indeed, when, as
piano (not the player pumping pedal).
This
sponding sound, and no other. We call the chief
occasionally happens, he wishes deliberately to im-
raises a rod which lifts all the dampers from the
of these sounds after the first seven letters of the
part a dissonant effect. Of course, practice in lis-
strings, and holds them there as long as the foot
alphabet, A, B, C, D, E, F, G. To each other all
tening is what the player-pianist needs. The artist
pressure continues. As soon as we have done this
these sounds bear fixed relations, so that some of
will know exactly what tones will be sympatheti-
an entirely new character is imparted to the cally produced when a given chord or single tone
them may be combined with others to form pleas-
ing results. These we call consonant sounds. sounds of the piano. Every tone runs into the
is subjected to the reinforcement of the pedal.
next, there is a confused blurring and jangling,
Others, not so capable of unison, we call disson-
The player-pianist must listen and observe till he
and individual sounds are lost in a mixture of
ances. Then there are other sounds in addition
can recognize the generated tones and learn which
incoherent noise.
to those we have mentioned and also represented
make agreeable combinations and which do not.
by strings of the piano, which we call sharps and
A little practice will help one to judge discrimi-
What the Artist Does.
flats and which are interspersed between those al-
But let us suppose an artist at the piano. He natingly in a short time. Practice makes perfect.
ready mentioned. We call these latter sharps and
The player-piano would be a poor thing if there
continually uses the pedal. Yet, when he does it
flats of the former, according as they are above
were nothing about it to be mastered, perfected,
he makes the tone sing just as if it came from a
or below them. The black keys of the piano cor-
learned.
violin. The noisy piano is transformed into some-
respond with the sharps and flats, and the white
thing broad, majestic and singing. Yet both the
keys with the original series named after the let-
artist's apparent wonder and the novice's un-
The new store of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.,
ters aforesaid. At each twelfth sound of a com- pleasant noise were generated by fundamentally
in Cleveland, O., was formally opened last week,
plete series (including sharps and flats) we have
the same cause, namely, by that property of the
the feature of the opening entertainment being
what is called an octave, which is the beginning
string bridges and soundboard of the piano where-
the Virtuolo concerts given each afternoon and
of a new and similar series.
by they transmit the vibrations arising in any
evening.
tonal froth into a singer of noble tone and organ-
like resonance. Yet, if one is imperfectly ac-
quainted with the conditions under which it is
brought to life, this wonderful "soul" of the piano
-^as it has well been called—become simply a won-
derful nuisance. And this is as true with the
player-piano as with the ordinary instrument. Ex-
cept in cases where player and rolls are alike
equipped for automatic operation of the damper-
lifting device, it would appear that few player-
pianists achieve any understanding of the right
way to manipulate this essential device. In con-
sequence, we find that player-piano performances,
instead of being improved, are frequently ren-
dered hideous through the desperate effort of
people to manipulate something which they totally
misunderstand. A few words of explanation will
therefore be in order here.
A / f ANUFACTURERS and dealers visiting Chicago
can now inspect the Gulbransen player action with-
out leaving the loop district. The Gulbransen is the
action that can be installed in any ordinary upright piano.
At our demonstration parlors on the 12th floor of the new North
American Building, State and Monroe Streets, pianos of various makes and
sizes will be found equipped with the Gulbransen action. Investigate it,
undisturbed by the noise of machinery and in surroundings simulating those
of the home. A ten minutes' ride from our uptown quarters will then take
you to our large, new factory, 312-316 Union Park Court, where you can see
for yourself how these wonderful actions are produced.
GULBRANSEN DICKINSON CO.
12th floor North American Building, Northwest corner State
and Monroe Streets. Factory, 312-316 Union Park Court
CHICAGO
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