Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
NOVEMBER 29, 1919
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
lff
The Possibilities of the Cabinet, Or Outside Player, for Use With High Grade
Grand Pianos, Have Not Yet Been Seriously Considered by Player-Piano
Manufacturers—The Time Is Now Ripe for Experimentation Along This Line
It will probably be admitted that the supersession
of the cabinet, or outside player, by the interior
mechanism at an early date in the development of the
pneumatic-music industry was not caused by any real
difficulty in the musical or expressive possibilities of
this instrument. The considerations which governed
were probably more definitely connected with the
selling value of the interior mechanism, and with the
feeling that appearance and convenience would count
more with the public than any other considerations.
But today it is really worth while once more to
ask whether there is not still an opportunity for the
old exterior player, owing to certain new develop-
ments in the piano trade. It will be admitted by no
one .more readily than by the present writer that the
ingenuity displayed by technicians in concealing the
mechanism of a player underneath the case of a
grand piano has been quite marvelous. At present
there are grand pianos which are quite wonderful in
this respect. The Kranich & Bach Grandette player,
the A. B. Chase Artistano grand and the grand
action made by the Autopneumatic Action Co.
furnish illustrations of what is meant.
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The Obstinate Folks
But still, whilst the player-piano industry is work-
ing along these lines, there remain many thousands
of music lovers with many thousands of fine grand
pianos. These music lovers are today all prospective
buyers of a playing mechanism—if said mechanism
is really up to the claims made for it. But it is hope-
less to expect that these men and women shall give
up their fine grand pianos in exchange for new play-
er-grands. Some of them, no doubt, will be pros-
pects for a grand action which can be applied to
their instruments without disfiguring them; such an
ingenious mechanism as the Gulbransen grand comes
to mind in this respect. But it is quite certain, and
in fact everyone knows, that there are many more
who will not think of doing this, who will stren-
uously object to having anything "hung on their
pianos"; who cannot or will not buy new player-
grands, and who will, in fact, neither give up their
old instruments nor submit to having them converted
into players.
A Revival
Now, assuming this to be so, why is it not possible
and practical to revive the cabinet player for grand
pianos only? Again, is it not possible that a type of
player.of unusual excellence and artistic merit, ap-
pealing to persons musically intelligent, could be
built in this form which would actually surpass any
interior mechanism which can be conceived?
It is the writer's opinion that this is possible, and
he proposes to say a few words on the pneumatic
side of the case purely, leaving the commercial dis-
cussion for another time and place.
Considerations
In the first place, it is certain that an exterior cab-
inet can be built which will look artistic and which
can readily be moved to and from the keyboard of a
grand piano. The case must be built at a height
proportionate to the grand keyboard, and especially
must run on castors of a pattern which will permit
easy rolling over a floor.
WRIGHT-PLAYER-ACTION
DISTINGUISHED BY THE CLASS OF PIANOS
IN WHICH IT IS FOUND
DURABLE, RESPONSIVE and ACCESSIBLE
BUILT ON THE UNIT SYSTEM
I i m i r U T
0
OrMVTO n r \
WRIGHT & SOJNo LU.,
THE PLAYERCRAFTERS OF
WORCESTER, MASS.
INTRODUCED IN
Made by the pioneers and
leaders in the player-piano
industry
Have wonderful patented
devices and exclusive
features.
e WILCOX <9 WHITE Co.
Business Established 1877
M E R I D E N CONN.
Agencies all over die Vfcrid
Secondly, the cabinet should be provided with a
device whereby the entire line of fingers could be
lifted well up from the keyboard at the moment of
attaching the player to the piano. This is very im-
portant, as everyone knows who had any experience
with the cabinet of old-time.
Pneumatics and Valves
Now, assuming that this much is possible, there
are several pneumatic considerations of importance.
Today a single valve 88-note action will occupy less
space than the 65-note double valve action of other
days. Moreover, the loss of power which once was
so evident through the manner of mounting the
pneumatics with reference to the keys of the piano
can now be overcome. It would be possible today
to arrange the pneumatics either directly above the
keys of the piano or directly underneath and in front
of them, so as to make the connection direct, or
almost quite direct. This is of great importance.
Bellows
There is another point. A special reason for the
unwieldly size of the cabinet of other days was
found in the bellows system. This used to be very
large, because the playing pressure was low. The
pressure was low because the action was leaky,
heavy and clumsy. But today all that is changed.
Now we have lightweight actions, working on rela-
tively high tension and with smaller parts. This
means smaller bellows.
But there is still another consideration. The kind
of player one has in mind is to be a very superior
sort of player—a fussy player for the fussy folks
who have fine grands. Why could such a player not
be made in two pieces; one being a box to go under
the piano, containing a noiseless electric motor and
pump which should supply power to run the auto-
matic tracker, the sustaining pedal pneumatic, the
roll-driving motor and all the non-speaking elements?
In fact, why could not such a mechanism be put into
the bench if necessary? It could be done. The at-
tachment and detachment would not be at all
troublesome.
Improved Expression Possible
Then there is still another thing. The writer has
often spoken of special attachments which he has
used in his own player for improving expression,
such as multiple division of the action, control of
governor-tension, rapid accenting devices working
directly on the air, and so on. Many such devices
could and should be used in a player such as this
one we are visualizing. All such schemes tend to
make the instrument one for the exclusive group;
not for the big mob. One can go further and point
out that there already exist devices and refinements
of such a nature that no expressive attainment in
piano-playing is beyond them. There are devices
not on the market, but in practical operation, "never-
theless, properly worked out, protected by patents
and thoroughly effective, which permit the .most un-
heard-of control and refinement of playing. Given
a market for the exterior player for grand pianos
only, one cannot see why some of these marvellous
experiments and achievements which the writer has
examined, and for which he can vouch, should not
be brought forth to light.
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STANDARD PLAYER ACTIONS
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STANDARD
PNEUMATIC A C
TION C O .
NEW YORK CITY
WEST 52 1?STREET
638-652
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