Music Trade Review

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EDITORIALLY
THE MOTHERS OF GROWING
CHILDREN BUY MOST PIANOS
T
HE hand that rocks the cradle not only rules the world
but has the most to say about the buying of pianos,
according to a recent investigation made for the Par-
ents' Magazine. In the survey it was shown that 44.8
per cent, or nearly half of all pianos were bought by married
women with growing children under nineteen years of age ;
27.6 per cent by married women without children, and only
16.1 per cent by married women with grown children nine-
teen years old and over. Unmarried women bought only 11.5
per cent. Here is one fact alone that should serve to justify
existing campaigns for the training of children in piano play-
ing. Once trained mama will do the rest.
The figures given in the above paragraph are based on
information supplied by consumers. Department stores, how-
ever, credited married women with growing children with
the purchase of 68.7 per cent of pianos sold, married women
with grown-up children 10 per cent, married women without
children 13.5 per cent, and unmarried women 7.8 per cent,
while home demonstration agents offered percentages that
varied only one or two points from the department store
reports. Only in the matter of washing machines does the
purchases by married women with growing children show a
higher percentage.
THE ANNUAL CONVENTION
AND WHAT IT PROMISES
W
I T H I N a month from the time this issue of
is in the hands of its readers a
substantial number of trade members will be
packing their bags preparatory to leaving for
Chicago to attend the annual conventions of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce and affiliated organizations. This
year, at least, they will have plenty of company, for some
thousands of radio men will also meet in the Windy City
during the same week of June 8 and, to a certain extent at
least, the interests of the two trade divisions are largely in
common.
The tentative convention programs for the various music
trade associations indicate that the several days of the con-
ventions will be given over to earnest discussions of the many
problems that now face the industry. It cannot be expected
that these discussions will serve to revolutionize conditions or
even to clear up annoying situations, but they will at least
afford the individual manufacturer and merchant a chance to
air his views, compare them with the views of others, and
go home with at least a fair understanding of the trade situa-
tion as it exists nationally.
The number of exhibits will naturally not be as large as
has been the case at previous conventions, but the reserva-
tions already made by manufacturers lead to the belief that
the visting music merchants will find much of interest and
importance to their own line of business in the display rooms
at the Palmer House. The dealer who is under the impres-
sion that the producing end of the music industry has been
10
T H E REVIEW
marking time while waiting for a turn in the situation will
probably be surprised at what can be shown him by the exhib-
itors. At least he owes it to himself and his business to keep
in contact with these products.
Undoubtedly the convention attendance will show a falling
off; that is logical, but it is equally certain that those who
do attend, and they promise to be surprisingly numerous, will
do so with the firm idea of getting something tangible out
of the meetings and the displays to compensate them for their
investment in time and money.
The convention dates are June 8, 9 and 10; the place, the
Palmer House, Chicago.
POST-GRADUATE WORK FOR
RADIO PIANO STUDENTS
A
S this is being written over 60,000 requests have
been received from all sections of the country, and
even from some foreign countries, for charts and
instructions issued in connection with the radio
piano lessons being broadcast twice weekly by the National
Broadcasting Co., and the requests are coming in at a rate
that indicates that the prediction of 100,000 students in the
radio piano class was in no sense over-optimistic. This heavy
response is to be taken seriously, for although many people
will write for something that is free there must be behind
their desire an evident interest in the material offered. In
this case we may assume, therefore, that everyone requesting
the piano lesson charts has a real desire to learn to play the
piano. Whether they carry through or not, put their present
pianos into service, or purchase new instruments, depends
largely on the local influence.
Although the preliminary work on the piano lesson cam-
paign began soon after the first of the year it is quite appar-
ent that even today many of those in the trade and the pro-
fession have no proper conception of the opportunity that is
before them. At least they give no evidence of such an
understanding. What have the piano tuners done, for instance,
as a body? Have they made an organized effort to encour-
age people to have their piano tuned following the lead of
some wideawake individuals and the advice offered over the
radio? The broadcast studio pianos are tuned to a pitch of
440-A, while the home piano is generally tuned to a lower
pitch, and it is often flat and out of tune entirely through
neglect. To get the proper results from the lessons the
pianos should be tuned to correspond to studio pitch and it
is up to the tuner to see that his customers realize this fact.
It means greater income and more satisfaction.
The piano merchants who are supporting the campaign
have at their command a steadily increasing list of prospects
from among those who request the lesson material direct
from the broadcasting station, as well as those who respond
to such local appeal as is made by the dealer himself. Cer-
tainly that personal appeal should be as effective as a radio
program coming from a distance, yet all too many retailers
seem to be waiting for the business to drop in their laps.
Now for the teachers. The broadcasting company has
made a special effort to enlist their cooperation, emphasizing
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
May,
1931