Music Trade Review
Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 9 - Page 28
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The Music Trade Review
26
indicate the tone-quality values belonging to
various musical instruments. These can be re-
produced in the manner shown by Lesti, and
by means of other applications of the micro-
phone, amplifier-loudspeaker principle. Unfor-
tunately, however, all such methods necessarily
give .precisely the same harmonic set up for
each note whenever it is reproduced, with varia-
tion only in respect of loudness. Now, it is prob-
able that, in the case of all musical instruments,
tone quality is invariably parallel to loudness,
so that any change in the latter value will pro-
duce changes in the former. On the other hand,
any electrical method of determining loudness
values will work independently of the quality
value part of the apparatus, whereas in ordinary
instruments the very act of playing them is an
act of constantly varying physical circum-
stances, so that the actual physical events which
constitute the production of tone are in a state
of continual flux. Musical instruments are very
crude, but they have been fitted to the needs of
practical music to a very definite and remark-
able extent. When a synthetic reproduction of
their tones is devised, it invariably bears to the
tones of the original instruments a non-linear
relation. The organ is an excellent example
of what I mean. It is possible to reproduce
by means of organ pipes, to a considerable ex-
tent of fidelity, the tones of oboe, flute, clarinet
For
PIANO ACTION
MACHINERY
Designers and Builder* of
Special Machines
for
Special Purposes
THE A, H, NILSON
MACHINE CO.
BRIDGEPORT
and bassoon. The brass instruments can be
reproduced with somewhat less of fidelity, and
the strings less tolerably. Yet one is never in
doubt as to the difference between even the
finest of concert organs and an orchestra 01
comparable power. Consider another matter:
the piano's tone qualities have been analyzed in
our laboratory and we know very closely how
they are built up and what are their components
in each octave from the lowest bass to highest
treble. On the other hand, these qualities con-
tinually shift for every hammer-stroke, seeing
that the human .performer necessarily imparts
to the hammer an individual velocity value at
his every touch upon the key. Hence, as our
work has clearly shown, the tone color values
Philip W. Oetting & Son
INC.
213 East 19th Street
NEW YORK
Sole Agenta for
WEICKERT
Hammer and Damper
Felts
Continuous Hinges
Grand Hinges
Pedals and Rods
Bearing Bars
Casters, etc., etc*
Servlee
Prlee
m
Quality
Reliability
CONN.
SEPTEMBER, 1930
of the piano, despite the masking effect of their
very short duration, are constantly shifting.
Take away this shifting of value and the tones
will not be the piano's tones or suitable to
piano literature. Similar considerations apply,
mutatis mutandis, to other instruments.
Here is the weakness of the synthetic instru-
ment. On the other hand, the tendency is
towards more and more of these and towards
their adoption as part of the present large, and
growing larger, commercial interest in mecha-
nized music. The musical industry and the musi-
cal profession are alike in danger. The peril
may be slight at the moment—in fact, at .present
it is slight; but it is a peril and it is not being
faced. The public, be it remembered, knows
little and cares less of these things.
I have said before, and I say again: the music
industry and the music profession ought to be
leagued to-day in an offensive and defensive
alliance. They are not so joined; and because
they are not, because they are too blind and
deaf to their own best interest, they are facing
difficult times now. More difficult times still
arc in store for them, unless they awake to facts
and act upon them, instead of upon what they
like to think ought to be the facts.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
CHAS. RAMSEY CORP.
KINGSTON, N. Y.
THE SELPO PIANO TRUCKS
The End Truck is very convenient where there is not
much stair work and can be easily carried in a small
amount of space. A board is used when piano is on the
stairs. The frame of the SelPo trucks are made of
crucible spring steel, cross braced and riveted. The hard
maple boards are padded with heavy felt.
SelPo V—Plain bearing rollers iron wheel casters, shipping
weight 95 lbs., $44.00.
SelPo B—Plain bearing roller rubber tired casters, $47.00.
SelPo E—Roller bearing rollers iron wheel casters, $19.00.
SelPo ii—Roller bearing rollers rubber tired casters, $52.00.
Ask for a catalogue of our complete line of TRUCKS,
HOISTS, light weight trucks, SKIDS, DOLLYS, Concert
Grand Trucks and Special Straps.
Manufactured by
SELF LIFTING PIANO TRUCK COMPANY
4X5 N. Main St.
Flndlay, Ohio
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, Inc.,
Y.
Manufacturers of Sounding Boards, Bars, Backs, Bridges, Mandolin and Guitar Tops, Etc.
O. S. KELLY CO
The Highest Grade of Workmanship
PIANO PLATES
Foundries: SPRINGFIELD, OHIO
THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY et CO
IVORYTON, CONN.
Ivory Cutters since 1 8 3 4
j
-
; •
MANUFACTURERS OF GRAND KEYS, ACTIONS, AND HAMMERS, UPRIGHT KEYS,
ACTIONS AND HAMMERS, PIPE ORGAN KEYS, PIANOFORTE IVORY FOR THE TRADE
•
The Music Trade Review
26
indicate the tone-quality values belonging to
various musical instruments. These can be re-
produced in the manner shown by Lesti, and
by means of other applications of the micro-
phone, amplifier-loudspeaker principle. Unfor-
tunately, however, all such methods necessarily
give .precisely the same harmonic set up for
each note whenever it is reproduced, with varia-
tion only in respect of loudness. Now, it is prob-
able that, in the case of all musical instruments,
tone quality is invariably parallel to loudness,
so that any change in the latter value will pro-
duce changes in the former. On the other hand,
any electrical method of determining loudness
values will work independently of the quality
value part of the apparatus, whereas in ordinary
instruments the very act of playing them is an
act of constantly varying physical circum-
stances, so that the actual physical events which
constitute the production of tone are in a state
of continual flux. Musical instruments are very
crude, but they have been fitted to the needs of
practical music to a very definite and remark-
able extent. When a synthetic reproduction of
their tones is devised, it invariably bears to the
tones of the original instruments a non-linear
relation. The organ is an excellent example
of what I mean. It is possible to reproduce
by means of organ pipes, to a considerable ex-
tent of fidelity, the tones of oboe, flute, clarinet
For
PIANO ACTION
MACHINERY
Designers and Builder* of
Special Machines
for
Special Purposes
THE A, H, NILSON
MACHINE CO.
BRIDGEPORT
and bassoon. The brass instruments can be
reproduced with somewhat less of fidelity, and
the strings less tolerably. Yet one is never in
doubt as to the difference between even the
finest of concert organs and an orchestra 01
comparable power. Consider another matter:
the piano's tone qualities have been analyzed in
our laboratory and we know very closely how
they are built up and what are their components
in each octave from the lowest bass to highest
treble. On the other hand, these qualities con-
tinually shift for every hammer-stroke, seeing
that the human .performer necessarily imparts
to the hammer an individual velocity value at
his every touch upon the key. Hence, as our
work has clearly shown, the tone color values
Philip W. Oetting & Son
INC.
213 East 19th Street
NEW YORK
Sole Agenta for
WEICKERT
Hammer and Damper
Felts
Continuous Hinges
Grand Hinges
Pedals and Rods
Bearing Bars
Casters, etc., etc*
Servlee
Prlee
m
Quality
Reliability
CONN.
SEPTEMBER, 1930
of the piano, despite the masking effect of their
very short duration, are constantly shifting.
Take away this shifting of value and the tones
will not be the piano's tones or suitable to
piano literature. Similar considerations apply,
mutatis mutandis, to other instruments.
Here is the weakness of the synthetic instru-
ment. On the other hand, the tendency is
towards more and more of these and towards
their adoption as part of the present large, and
growing larger, commercial interest in mecha-
nized music. The musical industry and the musi-
cal profession are alike in danger. The peril
may be slight at the moment—in fact, at .present
it is slight; but it is a peril and it is not being
faced. The public, be it remembered, knows
little and cares less of these things.
I have said before, and I say again: the music
industry and the music profession ought to be
leagued to-day in an offensive and defensive
alliance. They are not so joined; and because
they are not, because they are too blind and
deaf to their own best interest, they are facing
difficult times now. More difficult times still
arc in store for them, unless they awake to facts
and act upon them, instead of upon what they
like to think ought to be the facts.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
CHAS. RAMSEY CORP.
KINGSTON, N. Y.
THE SELPO PIANO TRUCKS
The End Truck is very convenient where there is not
much stair work and can be easily carried in a small
amount of space. A board is used when piano is on the
stairs. The frame of the SelPo trucks are made of
crucible spring steel, cross braced and riveted. The hard
maple boards are padded with heavy felt.
SelPo V—Plain bearing rollers iron wheel casters, shipping
weight 95 lbs., $44.00.
SelPo B—Plain bearing roller rubber tired casters, $47.00.
SelPo E—Roller bearing rollers iron wheel casters, $19.00.
SelPo ii—Roller bearing rollers rubber tired casters, $52.00.
Ask for a catalogue of our complete line of TRUCKS,
HOISTS, light weight trucks, SKIDS, DOLLYS, Concert
Grand Trucks and Special Straps.
Manufactured by
SELF LIFTING PIANO TRUCK COMPANY
4X5 N. Main St.
Flndlay, Ohio
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, Inc.,
Y.
Manufacturers of Sounding Boards, Bars, Backs, Bridges, Mandolin and Guitar Tops, Etc.
O. S. KELLY CO
The Highest Grade of Workmanship
PIANO PLATES
Foundries: SPRINGFIELD, OHIO
THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY et CO
IVORYTON, CONN.
Ivory Cutters since 1 8 3 4
j
-
; •
MANUFACTURERS OF GRAND KEYS, ACTIONS, AND HAMMERS, UPRIGHT KEYS,
ACTIONS AND HAMMERS, PIPE ORGAN KEYS, PIANOFORTE IVORY FOR THE TRADE
•
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