Music Trade Review
Issue: 1917 Vol. 65 N. 4 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
;tiff^ifrffitrffl?^?rffl?r^ifr^i?fffl?r^^
giff^tiy^iffgiyfflyffly^iysff! s ^^
Three Important Ideas from Three Representative Men in the Player Trade
Are Presented Herewith, and Will Be Found Worthy of Serious Consideration
—Player Prospects, Foot-Driven Players and Novel Player Advertising
Tn the following paragraphs we give, as nearly as possible, the point of view of three successful player personalities in respect
of three big ideas now of the utmost interest to the trade.
J. A. LeCato's remarks about the number of player prospects being not only incidentally and by chance, but rightly an"$\
necessarily, greater to-day than ever before, strikes a responsive chord in The Review's editorial breast. We think the putting
of this idea in this way is clever, very clever; and we descant on it.
Likewise we are decidedly pleased with the recent advertising of the M. Schulz Co., again published in this section this
month, on the foot-driven player.
Thirdly, we find ourselves observing with no little pleasure the extremely apt advertising idea, via the cartoon route, which
the American Player Action Co., otherwise our good friend Walter Crippen, is showing forth in The Review week by week. We
should like to see it extended; and we say so below at some little length.
In short, we present a triple point of view this month; discussing three clever ideas by three clever men. They are not The
Review's ideas, but they appeal because they are interesting.
"Never So Many Good Player Prospects."
"The farmer never g o t such prices for his
crops.
"The worker never got such wages for his
hire.
"Never were there so many good player-
piano prospects."
Thus saitli our friend L,eCato, who certainly
ought to know, since the big monthly output of
Standard player actions is under his imme-
diate control. And his point of view is pre-
cisely and exactly right. It is a point of view
that the Player Editor of The Review has been
urging for some months past. The nation is
about to enter upon one of the most stren-
uously active periods in its history. To a large
extent, the range of industrial stimulations will
be co-extensive with, the whole world of busi-
ness. A stupendous quantity of manufacturing
is required at once for direct and indirect mili-
tary needs; and is already being started. A
huge industrial impetus is being given to the
nation. The withdrawal of perhaps one million
young men is, to this nation, simply the with-
drawal of those amongst us who best can be
spared, industrially. It is not that we shall not
miss them; but rather that there will be so
many less competing in the labor market. The
price of skilled labor will rise, and even the
price of unskilled labor will be more or less
boosted.
Therefore, there will be during the coming
year—and is to-day in considerable extent—a
huge number of persons earning wages suf-
ficient to enable them to contemplate the pur-
The Bench People Want
CHILDS PLAYER AND
REGULAR MUSIC COMPARTMENT
IN MAHOGANY, OAK OR WALNUT
PRICE $5.00
Patented and made for nine year* by
PETERSON ART FURNITURE CO.
FARIBAULT
MINN.
chase of player-pianos with assuring equanimity.
Therefore, and finally, the biggest idea we can
place before ourselves at this moment is that
which we may express in the following words:
"Get after the war-wage prosperity. There
were never so many good player-piano pros-
pects."
"We Have Not Changed"
In these words, Otto Schulz, president of the
M. Schulz Co., sets forth his company's policy
with regard to the present agitation about elec-
trically-driven players. In advertisements in
the trade papers, in letters to Schulz dealers and
in advertising matter prepared for the ultimate
consumer, the idea is being urged constantly
that there is not the slightest reason to an-
ticipate a supersession of the foot-driven player
by any other; and that the M. Schulz Co. have
no present idea of making any change in their
policy of manufacturing a simple easy-pumping
instrument.
Mr. Schulz says that there have been vir-
tually no inquiries from Schulz dealers for
motor-driven player-pianos. He believes that
the reproducing piano is a thing apart, and has
its own wide and useful field of operations. He
admires and respects it. But he does not think
that the distinction between the reproducing
player and the other should ever be lost sight
of. He argues that the mass of the people want
a simple player-piano, moderate in price and
easy to operate; one which shall give the kind
of music the common people want, but at the
same time give it easily and well.
The value of these ideas, of course, lies in
their drawing of a distinction which ought to
be recognized much more than it is. The fact
is not well enough understood that the new
great development of the reproducing piano in-
volves a number of considerations which place
it out of the reach of those to whom price is
the first or even a principal object. The neces-
sity for electric current, the necessity for a
library of special music and the necessity for
some slight musical appreciation in advance as
preliminary to the choice of music, are all con-
ditions to be considered by any one who may
ever believe that the foot-driven player is
doomed. The two systems should and can run
along side by side; each a complement to the
other. They have dual destinies to fulfil; as
colleagues, not as enemies.
At the present moment it is well, in the gen-
eral interests of the trade, that this point should
be emphasized, and as the head of a "concern
that makes only straight player-pianos, Mr.
Schulz is right in taking the stand he does.
Moreover, the action is timely enough to take
rank with one of three best thoughts of the
month.
"Carrying Conviction by Comic Cartoons"
The astonishingly apt and clever series of
little cartoon advertisements which the fertile
brain of Walter Crippen suggested or inspired
is bringing to thousands of trade readers each
week the peculiar merits of the American player
action. It is not that the cartoon idea is
new. But it is that the way of saying an old
thing is, in this case, a decidedly new way.
The general idea is to take a certain thought,
pertinent to a special point or feature in one's
goods, then to clothe this in apt and succinct
language; and lastly to illustrate the thought by
a picture which shows a wholly different ap-
plication of it. For instance, suppose it is de-
sired to feature the notion of, say, "Control" in
reference to a player-piano action. The word
itself is given at the top of the advertisement.
Underneath are three lines about the clever and
efficient motor control of the American action.
Then, at the sides are given two drawings, one
large, one small. The large one shows a typical
Henry Peck dropping a nice fat cigar at the
forcible command of an elephantine Mrs. Peck.
The small one shows a gentleman equipped with
blinders walking down street, unable to see the
"chickens" who flit by entrancingly.
There you have "control" explained; in three
ways; one pertinent and two impertinent. Does
it get effects? It does.
The principal value of this idea is not its
mere cleverness, as such, but in the fact that
it shows a new way of saying the old things that
have long ceased to be interesting to most of
us in the trade. The technical advantages of a
given player action can be set forth in many
ways, but most of them are dry as dust to all
save technical men. The injection of a little
impudent good humor helps along vastly.
And why should not the veritably same idea
be set forth in a wider way? Is there any rea-
son why what is good for the wholesale trade
should not be good for the retail trade as well?
Why should it not be possible to utilize the
basic idea in setting forth the points of any
player-piano to the customer or prospect? A
set of postal cards carrying a series of pertinent
legends impertinently illustrated might be very
effective indeed.
Advertising managers for big player manufac-
turers and retailers are therefore requested to
take notice!
MUSIC ROLL MEN TO MEET
A number of matters of importance will come
up for consideration and action at the meeting
of the National Association of Music Roll
Manufacturers, which is scheduled to be held
at the Hotel Astor, New York, on July 31.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
;tiff^ifrffitrffl?^?rffl?r^ifr^i?fffl?r^^
giff^tiy^iffgiyfflyffly^iysff! s ^^
Three Important Ideas from Three Representative Men in the Player Trade
Are Presented Herewith, and Will Be Found Worthy of Serious Consideration
—Player Prospects, Foot-Driven Players and Novel Player Advertising
Tn the following paragraphs we give, as nearly as possible, the point of view of three successful player personalities in respect
of three big ideas now of the utmost interest to the trade.
J. A. LeCato's remarks about the number of player prospects being not only incidentally and by chance, but rightly an"$\
necessarily, greater to-day than ever before, strikes a responsive chord in The Review's editorial breast. We think the putting
of this idea in this way is clever, very clever; and we descant on it.
Likewise we are decidedly pleased with the recent advertising of the M. Schulz Co., again published in this section this
month, on the foot-driven player.
Thirdly, we find ourselves observing with no little pleasure the extremely apt advertising idea, via the cartoon route, which
the American Player Action Co., otherwise our good friend Walter Crippen, is showing forth in The Review week by week. We
should like to see it extended; and we say so below at some little length.
In short, we present a triple point of view this month; discussing three clever ideas by three clever men. They are not The
Review's ideas, but they appeal because they are interesting.
"Never So Many Good Player Prospects."
"The farmer never g o t such prices for his
crops.
"The worker never got such wages for his
hire.
"Never were there so many good player-
piano prospects."
Thus saitli our friend L,eCato, who certainly
ought to know, since the big monthly output of
Standard player actions is under his imme-
diate control. And his point of view is pre-
cisely and exactly right. It is a point of view
that the Player Editor of The Review has been
urging for some months past. The nation is
about to enter upon one of the most stren-
uously active periods in its history. To a large
extent, the range of industrial stimulations will
be co-extensive with, the whole world of busi-
ness. A stupendous quantity of manufacturing
is required at once for direct and indirect mili-
tary needs; and is already being started. A
huge industrial impetus is being given to the
nation. The withdrawal of perhaps one million
young men is, to this nation, simply the with-
drawal of those amongst us who best can be
spared, industrially. It is not that we shall not
miss them; but rather that there will be so
many less competing in the labor market. The
price of skilled labor will rise, and even the
price of unskilled labor will be more or less
boosted.
Therefore, there will be during the coming
year—and is to-day in considerable extent—a
huge number of persons earning wages suf-
ficient to enable them to contemplate the pur-
The Bench People Want
CHILDS PLAYER AND
REGULAR MUSIC COMPARTMENT
IN MAHOGANY, OAK OR WALNUT
PRICE $5.00
Patented and made for nine year* by
PETERSON ART FURNITURE CO.
FARIBAULT
MINN.
chase of player-pianos with assuring equanimity.
Therefore, and finally, the biggest idea we can
place before ourselves at this moment is that
which we may express in the following words:
"Get after the war-wage prosperity. There
were never so many good player-piano pros-
pects."
"We Have Not Changed"
In these words, Otto Schulz, president of the
M. Schulz Co., sets forth his company's policy
with regard to the present agitation about elec-
trically-driven players. In advertisements in
the trade papers, in letters to Schulz dealers and
in advertising matter prepared for the ultimate
consumer, the idea is being urged constantly
that there is not the slightest reason to an-
ticipate a supersession of the foot-driven player
by any other; and that the M. Schulz Co. have
no present idea of making any change in their
policy of manufacturing a simple easy-pumping
instrument.
Mr. Schulz says that there have been vir-
tually no inquiries from Schulz dealers for
motor-driven player-pianos. He believes that
the reproducing piano is a thing apart, and has
its own wide and useful field of operations. He
admires and respects it. But he does not think
that the distinction between the reproducing
player and the other should ever be lost sight
of. He argues that the mass of the people want
a simple player-piano, moderate in price and
easy to operate; one which shall give the kind
of music the common people want, but at the
same time give it easily and well.
The value of these ideas, of course, lies in
their drawing of a distinction which ought to
be recognized much more than it is. The fact
is not well enough understood that the new
great development of the reproducing piano in-
volves a number of considerations which place
it out of the reach of those to whom price is
the first or even a principal object. The neces-
sity for electric current, the necessity for a
library of special music and the necessity for
some slight musical appreciation in advance as
preliminary to the choice of music, are all con-
ditions to be considered by any one who may
ever believe that the foot-driven player is
doomed. The two systems should and can run
along side by side; each a complement to the
other. They have dual destinies to fulfil; as
colleagues, not as enemies.
At the present moment it is well, in the gen-
eral interests of the trade, that this point should
be emphasized, and as the head of a "concern
that makes only straight player-pianos, Mr.
Schulz is right in taking the stand he does.
Moreover, the action is timely enough to take
rank with one of three best thoughts of the
month.
"Carrying Conviction by Comic Cartoons"
The astonishingly apt and clever series of
little cartoon advertisements which the fertile
brain of Walter Crippen suggested or inspired
is bringing to thousands of trade readers each
week the peculiar merits of the American player
action. It is not that the cartoon idea is
new. But it is that the way of saying an old
thing is, in this case, a decidedly new way.
The general idea is to take a certain thought,
pertinent to a special point or feature in one's
goods, then to clothe this in apt and succinct
language; and lastly to illustrate the thought by
a picture which shows a wholly different ap-
plication of it. For instance, suppose it is de-
sired to feature the notion of, say, "Control" in
reference to a player-piano action. The word
itself is given at the top of the advertisement.
Underneath are three lines about the clever and
efficient motor control of the American action.
Then, at the sides are given two drawings, one
large, one small. The large one shows a typical
Henry Peck dropping a nice fat cigar at the
forcible command of an elephantine Mrs. Peck.
The small one shows a gentleman equipped with
blinders walking down street, unable to see the
"chickens" who flit by entrancingly.
There you have "control" explained; in three
ways; one pertinent and two impertinent. Does
it get effects? It does.
The principal value of this idea is not its
mere cleverness, as such, but in the fact that
it shows a new way of saying the old things that
have long ceased to be interesting to most of
us in the trade. The technical advantages of a
given player action can be set forth in many
ways, but most of them are dry as dust to all
save technical men. The injection of a little
impudent good humor helps along vastly.
And why should not the veritably same idea
be set forth in a wider way? Is there any rea-
son why what is good for the wholesale trade
should not be good for the retail trade as well?
Why should it not be possible to utilize the
basic idea in setting forth the points of any
player-piano to the customer or prospect? A
set of postal cards carrying a series of pertinent
legends impertinently illustrated might be very
effective indeed.
Advertising managers for big player manufac-
turers and retailers are therefore requested to
take notice!
MUSIC ROLL MEN TO MEET
A number of matters of importance will come
up for consideration and action at the meeting
of the National Association of Music Roll
Manufacturers, which is scheduled to be held
at the Hotel Astor, New York, on July 31.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).