Music Trade Review
Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 5 - Page 23
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WmBraid White q
Technical Editor J £
Importance of Scientific Research
in the Development of the Piano
more years now than sometimes I care
F OR
to calculate, this department of The Review
has been the mouthpiece of those among the
field workers of our industry whose opinions
have been most worthy of attention and respect.
This position was first occupied many years
ago, at a time when no one else had even
thought of attempting its production; and I
think we may fairly say that the results of it
have justified the original effort and have
shown that there was a definite need to be
filled. Since then more than one attempt has
hecn made to cultivate the same field from
other directions. Some of these have been, and
remain, admirable, one of them especially so.
Others have come and gone. Meanwhile the
Technical Department goes on, like the brook
apparently, forever.
I hope that readers have not had occasion to
reproach me in the past for having given so
much time and attention to projects of research
and to papers on these projects. Fundamental
inquiries into matters which lie at the base of
all knowledge of musical sound are not too fre-
quent, and in fact it might be correct to say
outright that the piano industry has been
simply brutally cynical in its treatment of
scientific investigations and the way of the
scientific technician has been extremely hard.
Nevertheless, and fortunately, opportunities
have been made available for scientific inquiry
and investigation in the realm of piano con-
struction, opportunities of which I have been
very quick to avail myself. For if one thing
is more certain than another, it is that the pres-
ent condition of the piano industry is at least
partly traceable to the almost universal neglect
by both manufacturers and dealers of those
things which have had to do with the acoustics
of the piano. If manufacturers had built, and
dealers had sold, pianos as musical instruments,
by methods intended to awake public interest,
even to the mildest extent, in tonal beauty, the
story of the last three years would not have
been so hard to tell. At any rate it would have
been a very different and much plcasanter tale.
So much then for my recent preoccupation
with matters of research. The investigations
which have been described during recent
months have been going on steadily and are
still going on. They will occupy a long time
yet and may be expected, in fact, to come to
an end only when there is no longer any need
to take an interest in musical acoustics.
That day is never likely to arrive. Far more
is it likely that the work now being done in
our laboratory will find application in fields of
much wider and more immediately important.
But that is another story, which I am not ready
to tell just now.
As it happens, then, we have come to a point
in our fundamental researches where, for some
little time to come, there will be no good rea-
son for putting on paper descriptions of experi-
ments and analysis of results. We are carrying
through investigations of considerable impor-
tance which at present are in a highly delicate
condition. For the time being, then, I shall let
them continue to cook upon our alchemical
fires, turning our attention meanwhile to the
lately neglected though not forgotten interests
of my friends the tuners.
Player Motors
"Dear Mr. White: I have an Estey player-
piano, which is giving great trouble. The
motor runs fast and then slow when playing a
roll. The governor spring is a fifteen-gauge
coiled spring. I altered the tension on the
spring, but the result was the same. On heavy
pedaling the motor races and on light pedaling
it drags.
"The governor, expression governor and
tempo box are placed on the lower part of the
Welte Mignon Experts
We install the original Welte-
Mission Reproducing Actions
in all makes of pianos. Also
general renovating and re-
pairing of all types of player
actions.
piano and connected to the main exhaust chest
by means of a rubber tube. The set-up is
quite different from most player-pianos. The
governor is only six inches long and three
inches wide and is of the same size as the
expression governor. The owner of the piano
told me he had had six other repairmen on
the job and had all failed."—F. W. Cooper,
Philadelphia.
Answer: When a motor acts in the way you
describe the trouble is probably due to the
faulty construction or regulating of the motor
governor. This governor ought to be fitted
with a regulating screw or block whereby the
closing of the governor pneumatic can be close-
ly regulated. When a motor rushes on heavy
pedaling then evidently the pneumatic does not
close quite enough under the exhaust. If the
motor drags on light pedaling then the pneu-
matic closes too far. By regulating the position
of the block or screw, or whatever it is that
cares for this, the trouble can be overcome.
It would be advisable also to see that the
brakes work well and that the slide valves arc
square on their seats, making a tight joint and
at the same time moving freely. As for the
spring of the motor governor, the tighter this
is, of course, the more the motor will speed,
but the spring alone should have nothing to
do with the tendency for the motor to follow
the pedaling.
My book, "Modern Piano Tuning," contains
a simple and a clear statement of this and of
many other points in player regulating. Why
not get a copy of it?
Steinway Employes Now
Have Own "News Letter"
The employes of Steinway & Sons, including
the factory and office staffs, who recently or-
ganized an association termed "The Pelicans,"
to promote a greater spirit of fellowship, now
have their own monthly publication, entitled
"The Steinway News Letter," in which is pub-
lished items of personal interest and news about
the company's activities. At present the "News
Letter" is in four-page form and is edited by
Frederick A. Victor, assistant manager of the
factory and great-grandson of the founder.
WELTE-MIGNON PIANO CORP.
Badger Brand Plates
are far more than
merely good plates.
They are built cor-
rectly of the best
material and finish,
and are specified by builders of quality
pianos.
American Piano Plate Co.
Manufacturers BADGER BRAND Grand and
Upright Piano Plmt«$
Racine, Wisconsin
313-315 E. 134th St. - New York
RE-FI-NIZE
Pat. Pending
RESTORES CHECKED
VARNISH
Not a coating process. It penetrates the wood, knits
and fills the cracks, brings out the grain and origi-
nal color, and becomes one complete solid.
PFRIEMER HAMMERS
Always Found in Pianos
of the Highest Quality
Originators of the Re-enforced Tone
Producing Hammer
READY TO RUB IN FOUR HOURS
Per Gal., $5.50 F.O.B. Columbus, Ga.
CHAS. PFRIEMER, INC.
RE'FI-NIZE COMPANY
Hales Ave. & 142nd St., New York
I.ytlon Building, Chicago
J. C. DURDEN, Proprietor
824 Second Avenue
23
Columbus, Ga.
WmBraid White q
Technical Editor J £
Importance of Scientific Research
in the Development of the Piano
more years now than sometimes I care
F OR
to calculate, this department of The Review
has been the mouthpiece of those among the
field workers of our industry whose opinions
have been most worthy of attention and respect.
This position was first occupied many years
ago, at a time when no one else had even
thought of attempting its production; and I
think we may fairly say that the results of it
have justified the original effort and have
shown that there was a definite need to be
filled. Since then more than one attempt has
hecn made to cultivate the same field from
other directions. Some of these have been, and
remain, admirable, one of them especially so.
Others have come and gone. Meanwhile the
Technical Department goes on, like the brook
apparently, forever.
I hope that readers have not had occasion to
reproach me in the past for having given so
much time and attention to projects of research
and to papers on these projects. Fundamental
inquiries into matters which lie at the base of
all knowledge of musical sound are not too fre-
quent, and in fact it might be correct to say
outright that the piano industry has been
simply brutally cynical in its treatment of
scientific investigations and the way of the
scientific technician has been extremely hard.
Nevertheless, and fortunately, opportunities
have been made available for scientific inquiry
and investigation in the realm of piano con-
struction, opportunities of which I have been
very quick to avail myself. For if one thing
is more certain than another, it is that the pres-
ent condition of the piano industry is at least
partly traceable to the almost universal neglect
by both manufacturers and dealers of those
things which have had to do with the acoustics
of the piano. If manufacturers had built, and
dealers had sold, pianos as musical instruments,
by methods intended to awake public interest,
even to the mildest extent, in tonal beauty, the
story of the last three years would not have
been so hard to tell. At any rate it would have
been a very different and much plcasanter tale.
So much then for my recent preoccupation
with matters of research. The investigations
which have been described during recent
months have been going on steadily and are
still going on. They will occupy a long time
yet and may be expected, in fact, to come to
an end only when there is no longer any need
to take an interest in musical acoustics.
That day is never likely to arrive. Far more
is it likely that the work now being done in
our laboratory will find application in fields of
much wider and more immediately important.
But that is another story, which I am not ready
to tell just now.
As it happens, then, we have come to a point
in our fundamental researches where, for some
little time to come, there will be no good rea-
son for putting on paper descriptions of experi-
ments and analysis of results. We are carrying
through investigations of considerable impor-
tance which at present are in a highly delicate
condition. For the time being, then, I shall let
them continue to cook upon our alchemical
fires, turning our attention meanwhile to the
lately neglected though not forgotten interests
of my friends the tuners.
Player Motors
"Dear Mr. White: I have an Estey player-
piano, which is giving great trouble. The
motor runs fast and then slow when playing a
roll. The governor spring is a fifteen-gauge
coiled spring. I altered the tension on the
spring, but the result was the same. On heavy
pedaling the motor races and on light pedaling
it drags.
"The governor, expression governor and
tempo box are placed on the lower part of the
Welte Mignon Experts
We install the original Welte-
Mission Reproducing Actions
in all makes of pianos. Also
general renovating and re-
pairing of all types of player
actions.
piano and connected to the main exhaust chest
by means of a rubber tube. The set-up is
quite different from most player-pianos. The
governor is only six inches long and three
inches wide and is of the same size as the
expression governor. The owner of the piano
told me he had had six other repairmen on
the job and had all failed."—F. W. Cooper,
Philadelphia.
Answer: When a motor acts in the way you
describe the trouble is probably due to the
faulty construction or regulating of the motor
governor. This governor ought to be fitted
with a regulating screw or block whereby the
closing of the governor pneumatic can be close-
ly regulated. When a motor rushes on heavy
pedaling then evidently the pneumatic does not
close quite enough under the exhaust. If the
motor drags on light pedaling then the pneu-
matic closes too far. By regulating the position
of the block or screw, or whatever it is that
cares for this, the trouble can be overcome.
It would be advisable also to see that the
brakes work well and that the slide valves arc
square on their seats, making a tight joint and
at the same time moving freely. As for the
spring of the motor governor, the tighter this
is, of course, the more the motor will speed,
but the spring alone should have nothing to
do with the tendency for the motor to follow
the pedaling.
My book, "Modern Piano Tuning," contains
a simple and a clear statement of this and of
many other points in player regulating. Why
not get a copy of it?
Steinway Employes Now
Have Own "News Letter"
The employes of Steinway & Sons, including
the factory and office staffs, who recently or-
ganized an association termed "The Pelicans,"
to promote a greater spirit of fellowship, now
have their own monthly publication, entitled
"The Steinway News Letter," in which is pub-
lished items of personal interest and news about
the company's activities. At present the "News
Letter" is in four-page form and is edited by
Frederick A. Victor, assistant manager of the
factory and great-grandson of the founder.
WELTE-MIGNON PIANO CORP.
Badger Brand Plates
are far more than
merely good plates.
They are built cor-
rectly of the best
material and finish,
and are specified by builders of quality
pianos.
American Piano Plate Co.
Manufacturers BADGER BRAND Grand and
Upright Piano Plmt«$
Racine, Wisconsin
313-315 E. 134th St. - New York
RE-FI-NIZE
Pat. Pending
RESTORES CHECKED
VARNISH
Not a coating process. It penetrates the wood, knits
and fills the cracks, brings out the grain and origi-
nal color, and becomes one complete solid.
PFRIEMER HAMMERS
Always Found in Pianos
of the Highest Quality
Originators of the Re-enforced Tone
Producing Hammer
READY TO RUB IN FOUR HOURS
Per Gal., $5.50 F.O.B. Columbus, Ga.
CHAS. PFRIEMER, INC.
RE'FI-NIZE COMPANY
Hales Ave. & 142nd St., New York
I.ytlon Building, Chicago
J. C. DURDEN, Proprietor
824 Second Avenue
23
Columbus, Ga.
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