Music Trade Review
Issue: 1940 Vol. 99 N. 9 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 19W
FEN
O ¥ that we have had time to
digest all we saw at the Con-
vention in Chicago last
month we should say that the indus-
try made considerable more progress
in development during the past year
than has been made for many moons.
We were impressed by the fact that
the set back design rather than the
flat top design in pianos seemed to
predominate. Electronic instru-
ments and devices also seemed to
attract more interest than pre-
viously. Especially was this true in
the case of the Solovox the latest in-
Carlelon Chace
vention of Laurens Hammond which
can be attached to any piano and seemed to have an in-
trigueing effect on all who saw and heard it. Concensus of
opinion was that it would greatly help the sale of pianos.
From reports which have reached us since its introduction
this appears to be true and in several instances it has been
sold with new pianos thereby increasing the unit sale for
the dealer who is handling it. Another combination instru-
ment which attracted considerable attention was the Trio-
Art Piano invented by Louis Luberoff which combines the
piano, electronic piano, radio-phonograph, speaker unit and
home recorder all in one. Each of these instruments has a
fascinating effect on the public as has been manifested by
the large crowds which have assembled wherever they have
been demonstrated by a dealer. Enhancement of tone of the
small console piano was another factor which had been
worked upon during the past year with the result of several
devices being shown by various manufacturers during con-
vention week. In the supply division of the industry several
new models of actions were shown which were marked
improvements over those that had been previously used.
This is particularly true in the improvement of the drop
action which came into being at the time the new styling of
pianos was introduced.
N
Is the Player
*
Coming Back?
A LTHOUGH the convention was devoid of a foot
/ " \ power player piano this year, there was plenty of
discussion about the return of this type of instru-
ment within the near future. In fact we have been given
to understand that more than one manufacturer have
already been working on a new player action for use in the
console type of piano both 36" and 38" high. Also, that
from a recent survey made among the dealers in the coun-
try there is a marked tendency that the foot power plaver
could again be made a profitable seller. This is in marked
contrast to three years ago when we made a survey among
the dealers and over 80% of them couldn't see the retvrn
of the player and considered it useless to even think about
it. However, as time goes on new generations are growing
up who never saw or operated a player piano and un-
doubtedly it will be this group who might become enthu-
siastic enough about it to again give promise to a fair sized
production.
#
* *
Will History
Repeat Itself?
'HIS brings us to the question of just what may
develop from the introduction of a foot power player
piano. When the player was in its glory several years
ago, piano manufacturers and dealers urged the public not
to play the piano with their hands and they did just that.
And, when the radio became popular there were few of the
player piano generation who knew how to play with their
hands, fascination of the player waned, gave way to that
of the radio and we all know what happend to the piano
business. It has not been until another generation, who has
been taught by the radio a greater appreciation of good
music, that we now have those of that generation playing
the piano with their hands and creating their own musical
expression in that way. Piano production has gone from
27,000 in 1932 to a possible 140,000 in 1940. During these
years the industry has been preaching the importance of
piano lessons for both young and old in order to put the
piano business back where it was once before. Shall the
industry then go back to the old player days and create the
same condition with another generation?
*
* *
Needs Careful
Presentation
E do not wish to be misunderstood. We believe that
a foot nower plaver piano could undoubtedly be
sold and enough of them sold each year to increase
production perceptably. But we hope and prav that the
industry in exploiting it will not forget that mechanical
instruments never have the lasting appeal that comes with
the art of personal expression: that something may come
along just as the radio did that may divert the attention of
the player enthusiast from that instrument the same as it
did before and without the incentive of personal expression
the entire industry may suffer as it did before. Therefore,
in our humble opinion if the player piano is to return it
should be promoted solely as an aid to piano instruction and
not as an instrument on which one can reel out the works
of the great masters and not learn anything about playing
the piano manually. Granted, in its heydav the player piano
outnumbered the straight piano in annual production but
this was only for about four years out of the sixteen years
that the player piano was in vogue. But, as we all are aware
of what happened after that let's profit by the mistakes
made at that time and approach the new player piano era,
if such is around the corner, with -the idea of promoting
greater sales of straight pianos through the use of the player
piano as an adjunct to learning to play manually so as to
keep future generations firmly entrenched with the idea that
to play the piano is a disinctive and necessary accomplish-
ment.
*
* *
W
F course whatever development comes will probably
come slowly as the machinery of the old days, dies
etc. have long since been discarded and broken up
and there will have to be new devices produced for manu-
facturing purposes. In the meantime piano production is
continually on the increase and in a most satisfactory man-
ner as manifested by the report for July which disclosed
that the increase over July last year was over 5 7 ^ , the
largest percentage of increase in one month since the piano
business commenced its comeback. Factories are working
full time this summer in hope that the anticipated rush in
orders for the holiday season may be taken care of and
dealers will not find themselves without stock when they
need it the most.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, SEPTEMBER, 19W
FEN
O ¥ that we have had time to
digest all we saw at the Con-
vention in Chicago last
month we should say that the indus-
try made considerable more progress
in development during the past year
than has been made for many moons.
We were impressed by the fact that
the set back design rather than the
flat top design in pianos seemed to
predominate. Electronic instru-
ments and devices also seemed to
attract more interest than pre-
viously. Especially was this true in
the case of the Solovox the latest in-
Carlelon Chace
vention of Laurens Hammond which
can be attached to any piano and seemed to have an in-
trigueing effect on all who saw and heard it. Concensus of
opinion was that it would greatly help the sale of pianos.
From reports which have reached us since its introduction
this appears to be true and in several instances it has been
sold with new pianos thereby increasing the unit sale for
the dealer who is handling it. Another combination instru-
ment which attracted considerable attention was the Trio-
Art Piano invented by Louis Luberoff which combines the
piano, electronic piano, radio-phonograph, speaker unit and
home recorder all in one. Each of these instruments has a
fascinating effect on the public as has been manifested by
the large crowds which have assembled wherever they have
been demonstrated by a dealer. Enhancement of tone of the
small console piano was another factor which had been
worked upon during the past year with the result of several
devices being shown by various manufacturers during con-
vention week. In the supply division of the industry several
new models of actions were shown which were marked
improvements over those that had been previously used.
This is particularly true in the improvement of the drop
action which came into being at the time the new styling of
pianos was introduced.
N
Is the Player
*
Coming Back?
A LTHOUGH the convention was devoid of a foot
/ " \ power player piano this year, there was plenty of
discussion about the return of this type of instru-
ment within the near future. In fact we have been given
to understand that more than one manufacturer have
already been working on a new player action for use in the
console type of piano both 36" and 38" high. Also, that
from a recent survey made among the dealers in the coun-
try there is a marked tendency that the foot power plaver
could again be made a profitable seller. This is in marked
contrast to three years ago when we made a survey among
the dealers and over 80% of them couldn't see the retvrn
of the player and considered it useless to even think about
it. However, as time goes on new generations are growing
up who never saw or operated a player piano and un-
doubtedly it will be this group who might become enthu-
siastic enough about it to again give promise to a fair sized
production.
#
* *
Will History
Repeat Itself?
'HIS brings us to the question of just what may
develop from the introduction of a foot power player
piano. When the player was in its glory several years
ago, piano manufacturers and dealers urged the public not
to play the piano with their hands and they did just that.
And, when the radio became popular there were few of the
player piano generation who knew how to play with their
hands, fascination of the player waned, gave way to that
of the radio and we all know what happend to the piano
business. It has not been until another generation, who has
been taught by the radio a greater appreciation of good
music, that we now have those of that generation playing
the piano with their hands and creating their own musical
expression in that way. Piano production has gone from
27,000 in 1932 to a possible 140,000 in 1940. During these
years the industry has been preaching the importance of
piano lessons for both young and old in order to put the
piano business back where it was once before. Shall the
industry then go back to the old player days and create the
same condition with another generation?
*
* *
Needs Careful
Presentation
E do not wish to be misunderstood. We believe that
a foot nower plaver piano could undoubtedly be
sold and enough of them sold each year to increase
production perceptably. But we hope and prav that the
industry in exploiting it will not forget that mechanical
instruments never have the lasting appeal that comes with
the art of personal expression: that something may come
along just as the radio did that may divert the attention of
the player enthusiast from that instrument the same as it
did before and without the incentive of personal expression
the entire industry may suffer as it did before. Therefore,
in our humble opinion if the player piano is to return it
should be promoted solely as an aid to piano instruction and
not as an instrument on which one can reel out the works
of the great masters and not learn anything about playing
the piano manually. Granted, in its heydav the player piano
outnumbered the straight piano in annual production but
this was only for about four years out of the sixteen years
that the player piano was in vogue. But, as we all are aware
of what happened after that let's profit by the mistakes
made at that time and approach the new player piano era,
if such is around the corner, with -the idea of promoting
greater sales of straight pianos through the use of the player
piano as an adjunct to learning to play manually so as to
keep future generations firmly entrenched with the idea that
to play the piano is a disinctive and necessary accomplish-
ment.
*
* *
W
F course whatever development comes will probably
come slowly as the machinery of the old days, dies
etc. have long since been discarded and broken up
and there will have to be new devices produced for manu-
facturing purposes. In the meantime piano production is
continually on the increase and in a most satisfactory man-
ner as manifested by the report for July which disclosed
that the increase over July last year was over 5 7 ^ , the
largest percentage of increase in one month since the piano
business commenced its comeback. Factories are working
full time this summer in hope that the anticipated rush in
orders for the holiday season may be taken care of and
dealers will not find themselves without stock when they
need it the most.
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