Music Trade Review
Issue: 1927 Vol. 85 N. 24 - Page 9
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DECEMBER 10, 1927
The Music Trade Review
instruction plan is that it establishes a direct year, however, it has been demonstrated force-
contact with those youngsters who may be ex- fully that it is quite possible for the small-town
pected to be piano buyers ten or fifteen years dealer to put over the group-instruction plan
from now, and by training them in the funda- on his own hook at a minimum of expense
mentals of piano playing provides them with and with surprising results. In one outstanding
an interest in the instrument that may be ex- case a dealer in a town of only 10,000 popula-
pected to continue indefinitely. The fact that
a very substantial percentage of children taking
the regular Melody Way Course in the funda-
mentals of piano playing are sufficiently in-
terested to continue instruction under private
teachers following the completion of the course
is another evidence of this interest. It also
proves that the appeal to parents is sufficiently
strong to have them provide the money for
this advance instruction and in a very sub-
stantial number of cases for the immediate
purchase of instruments upon which the child
can study and practice.
In Milwaukee over 9,000 students enrolled in
the group-instruction course, which was in the
form of a contest. In Buffalo nearly 3,000
pupils were enrolled. In Minneapolis over 6,500,
in Houston over 5,000, in New York 1,000 or
more, in Birmingham over 6,000, in Kansas
City some 15,000, in San Diego over 2,000, and
so on. Naturally, most of the enrollments were
of children of school age, the effort being
directed principally to reaching pupils of that
class, but in practically every instance it was
found that older people were also anxious to
find an easy way for learning to play the piano,
with the result that in several cities, Philadel-
phia among them, it was found necessary to
establish evening classes to take care of the
grown-ups. In Denver, too, it was found neces-
sary to make special provision for taking care
of adult students, classes being arranged for
Group Instruction in Hardwig &
pupils froin eighteen to thirty years old, others
for students from thirty to forty-five, and a tion had an enrollment of over 300 children in
special group for those from forty-five to eighty his first Melody Way Course, this representing
years old. Students from forty-five to sixty-five 3 per cent of the entire population, and he
years old—and in at least one case seventy-four expressed the belief that there was a strong
years old—were no rarity, and in sophisticated probability of his taking care of close to 1,000
New York one of the newspapers, following children and reported that he had already
the Melody Way Course, published several planned as soon as the first one was under
letters from men and women in their sixties way.
inquiring as to where and how simplified piano
The manner in which the individual dealer
instruction might be secured.
in a fair-sized city can realize profit from the
Group Instruction in Corley
In the early days of group piano instruction
it was maintained by some that while it was
perfectly all right for large cities, where dealers
had the capital and facilities for carrying on
the work, it was not feasible in smaller towns,
where only one or two dealers were in a posi-
tion to sponsor the work. During this past
Music Co., Richmond, Ind.
^roup-iustruction plan is particularly well illus-
trated in the case of the Yahrling-Rayner Music
Co., Youngstown, O., whose experiences have
already been set forth on several occasions
in The Review. Up to October 1 of this year
the company had enrolled 800 children in its
several Melody Way courses, and of these 759
finished the lessons. Two hundred and eighty-
eight children who registered had no pianos,
and as a result of the courses there were sold
to the parents of these children thirty-one up-
rights, twenty-four players and eleven grands,
making a total of sixty-six instruments, of
Miller Music Co., Evansville, Ind.
which only fifteen were second-hand. The
total volume of business amounted to $26,418,
which took no account of the many small in-
struments sold to students during the courses.
The Snyder Music Co., of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.,
co-operated with other dealers in putting over
a Melody Way Course and enrolled forty-five
pupils, of whom fifteen have no pianos. Seven
pianos were sold to these fifteen before the
course was completed, with the assurance that
others would buy in the near future. Similar
direct sales have been the experience of other
dealers who have given proper attention to the
conducting of the courses.
Certainly the group-instruction plan has
proven conclusively its value as a means of
stimulating interest in piano and piano playing
on the part of both children and grown-ups
and has more than justified its support as a
means for securing instructive publicity for the
piano. Much of the advertising, of course, has
been paid for, thousands upon thousands of
dollars' worth, but it has been spread out in
such a way as to entail no heavy burden on
any individual merchant, and the publicity ma-
terial that has been secured without charge has
had a face value of many thousands of dollars
more, and has been of a type that cannot be
purchased. Special reference has been made
to the accomplishments of the Miessner Melody
Way Plan, which has been most generally used,
but when to these accomplishments are added
the results that have been obtained through the
use of other group-instruction methods, including
the "Fun" method and the other plans adopted
in San Francisco and the Curtis method used
in other localities, the total result is distinctly
impressive. It should provide a background
for a host of piano salesmen in the future, the
t-xtcnt of these sales depending, of course, upon
the energy put forth by the retailers in cap-
italizing their opportunity.
For direct, concrete results that may be
visualized and realized upon immediately by the
dealers who are supporting the movement, the
Sroup-instruction method of piano promotion
appears to have many distinct advantages.
Group instruction has unquestionably been
the outstanding activity of the year and there
is every likelihood of it being steadily extended
by the piano merchants in the future.
DECEMBER 10, 1927
The Music Trade Review
instruction plan is that it establishes a direct year, however, it has been demonstrated force-
contact with those youngsters who may be ex- fully that it is quite possible for the small-town
pected to be piano buyers ten or fifteen years dealer to put over the group-instruction plan
from now, and by training them in the funda- on his own hook at a minimum of expense
mentals of piano playing provides them with and with surprising results. In one outstanding
an interest in the instrument that may be ex- case a dealer in a town of only 10,000 popula-
pected to continue indefinitely. The fact that
a very substantial percentage of children taking
the regular Melody Way Course in the funda-
mentals of piano playing are sufficiently in-
terested to continue instruction under private
teachers following the completion of the course
is another evidence of this interest. It also
proves that the appeal to parents is sufficiently
strong to have them provide the money for
this advance instruction and in a very sub-
stantial number of cases for the immediate
purchase of instruments upon which the child
can study and practice.
In Milwaukee over 9,000 students enrolled in
the group-instruction course, which was in the
form of a contest. In Buffalo nearly 3,000
pupils were enrolled. In Minneapolis over 6,500,
in Houston over 5,000, in New York 1,000 or
more, in Birmingham over 6,000, in Kansas
City some 15,000, in San Diego over 2,000, and
so on. Naturally, most of the enrollments were
of children of school age, the effort being
directed principally to reaching pupils of that
class, but in practically every instance it was
found that older people were also anxious to
find an easy way for learning to play the piano,
with the result that in several cities, Philadel-
phia among them, it was found necessary to
establish evening classes to take care of the
grown-ups. In Denver, too, it was found neces-
sary to make special provision for taking care
of adult students, classes being arranged for
Group Instruction in Hardwig &
pupils froin eighteen to thirty years old, others
for students from thirty to forty-five, and a tion had an enrollment of over 300 children in
special group for those from forty-five to eighty his first Melody Way Course, this representing
years old. Students from forty-five to sixty-five 3 per cent of the entire population, and he
years old—and in at least one case seventy-four expressed the belief that there was a strong
years old—were no rarity, and in sophisticated probability of his taking care of close to 1,000
New York one of the newspapers, following children and reported that he had already
the Melody Way Course, published several planned as soon as the first one was under
letters from men and women in their sixties way.
inquiring as to where and how simplified piano
The manner in which the individual dealer
instruction might be secured.
in a fair-sized city can realize profit from the
Group Instruction in Corley
In the early days of group piano instruction
it was maintained by some that while it was
perfectly all right for large cities, where dealers
had the capital and facilities for carrying on
the work, it was not feasible in smaller towns,
where only one or two dealers were in a posi-
tion to sponsor the work. During this past
Music Co., Richmond, Ind.
^roup-iustruction plan is particularly well illus-
trated in the case of the Yahrling-Rayner Music
Co., Youngstown, O., whose experiences have
already been set forth on several occasions
in The Review. Up to October 1 of this year
the company had enrolled 800 children in its
several Melody Way courses, and of these 759
finished the lessons. Two hundred and eighty-
eight children who registered had no pianos,
and as a result of the courses there were sold
to the parents of these children thirty-one up-
rights, twenty-four players and eleven grands,
making a total of sixty-six instruments, of
Miller Music Co., Evansville, Ind.
which only fifteen were second-hand. The
total volume of business amounted to $26,418,
which took no account of the many small in-
struments sold to students during the courses.
The Snyder Music Co., of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.,
co-operated with other dealers in putting over
a Melody Way Course and enrolled forty-five
pupils, of whom fifteen have no pianos. Seven
pianos were sold to these fifteen before the
course was completed, with the assurance that
others would buy in the near future. Similar
direct sales have been the experience of other
dealers who have given proper attention to the
conducting of the courses.
Certainly the group-instruction plan has
proven conclusively its value as a means of
stimulating interest in piano and piano playing
on the part of both children and grown-ups
and has more than justified its support as a
means for securing instructive publicity for the
piano. Much of the advertising, of course, has
been paid for, thousands upon thousands of
dollars' worth, but it has been spread out in
such a way as to entail no heavy burden on
any individual merchant, and the publicity ma-
terial that has been secured without charge has
had a face value of many thousands of dollars
more, and has been of a type that cannot be
purchased. Special reference has been made
to the accomplishments of the Miessner Melody
Way Plan, which has been most generally used,
but when to these accomplishments are added
the results that have been obtained through the
use of other group-instruction methods, including
the "Fun" method and the other plans adopted
in San Francisco and the Curtis method used
in other localities, the total result is distinctly
impressive. It should provide a background
for a host of piano salesmen in the future, the
t-xtcnt of these sales depending, of course, upon
the energy put forth by the retailers in cap-
italizing their opportunity.
For direct, concrete results that may be
visualized and realized upon immediately by the
dealers who are supporting the movement, the
Sroup-instruction method of piano promotion
appears to have many distinct advantages.
Group instruction has unquestionably been
the outstanding activity of the year and there
is every likelihood of it being steadily extended
by the piano merchants in the future.
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