Presto

P R E S TC
22
SHEET MUSIC TRADE
SHEET MUSIC PROFITS
They Are in the Staple as Well as the Popular
Numbers When Dealers Are Keen to
See Opportunities.
It is claimed by a prominent retail sheet music
department manager that there never has been a
period in the history of the trade in which the oppor-
tunities for selling sheet music was as good as today;
never before has the chance to make profits on sales
of sheet music been equal to that of the present time.
Every year, he points out, the number of sheet music
buyers shows increase and influences that result in
sheet music sales in 1924 were not present or thought
of a generation ago.
"It is not so very long ago since the sheet music
dealer was dependent for sales on a limited few. The
teachers of piano and voice, the students of music of
all kinds and the musically cultured people who
bought regularly or intermittently as the case might
be. All were included within the musical circle,"
said the veteran sheet music man this week.
"Today the number of teachers, students, profes-
sional musicians and the musically cultured is in-
finitely greater than that of a few generations ago and
compares favorably with the numbers five, ten or
fifteen years ago. Vast numbers of people who do
not claim to be 'musical' are big buyers of sheet
music. Classical music is made known to the masses
by bands, orchestras and choral organizations every-
where. Schools are spreading the knowledge of the
finest music among the pupils. The Music Memory
Contests organized by the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music spread the appreciation of the
best compositions. Other agencies affecting the pub-
lic including the pianos, organs and orchestras in the
motion picture shows encourage the familiarity of
the young and not so young with the fine music of
all lands and all times.
"The prominence of the so-called popular music,
the song-dance numbers that succeed one another
in great profusion, should not distract the music
dealer from the more stable things, the sale of which
make profits for him. Many piano dealers and pho-
nograph dealers who have added a sheet music
counter seem to think the sheet music demands are
limited to the song hits of the day. They cater only
to the dancing folk whose only desires are for the
"latest" hit regardless of its merits.
"Even in this seemingly sure business the sheet
- music dealer of that kind gets stung too often.
Sometimes a feverish run on a number induces him
to order an extra dozen or so of copies. Suddenly
the hit fans' interest is expressed for something newer
and often rottener and the dozen extra is in the dis-
card, part of the growing pile of dead ones that repre-
sent the dealer's trust in the ephemeral.
"When a sheet music department handles only the
music for which many calls are made immediately
following its publication, the people behind the coun-
ter become mechanical machines, wrapping clerks in-
stead of salesmen and saleswomen. Real salesmen
and saleswomen are required to sell the music on
which continuous profits are made."
NO "TRUST" ORGANS.
A little paper printed in the East is termed "The
Trust Organ," by a correspondent, who asks Presto
for an opinion. This paper doesn't believe that the
"trust" has any "organ," and certainly if they had it
would be one of more importance than that indi-
cated. The "trust" in the sheet music business, if
there is one, is not impressive, and recent changes in
plans of marketing music have taken most of the
string out of the buzzing insect known as the "com-
bination of thirteen."
"ROYALTY" STIR SUBSIDES.
Since the death of Victor Herbert the newspaper
talk about the rights of ."composers" to royalties
from radio, singers, movies and other sources of
popularity and song promotion have become vastly
less than formerly. Possibly the publishers are find-
ing that the more the tax upon singers and melody
popularizers is discussed, the less their songs are
sung and, in consequence, the smaller the demand.
Victor Herbert was the "mountain" that resisted the
"royalty free" performances, as he had a perfect
right to be.
SLIPPERY SONG SHARKS.
There has been an appreciable decimation of the
"song sharks" during the past two years. The inno-
September 27, 1924.
HEARST SONG QUALITIES
Three New Numbers Just Issued Character-
ized by the Merits that Achieved Success
for Previous Winners.
Three new songs have just been issued by Hearst
Music Publishers of Canada, Ltd., for which the pub-
lishers and the dealers who have received them an-
ticipate big sales. They are "Tallahasse," "Bobbed
Head" and "Better Keep Away." The publishers are
assured of the success of the songs because of the
methods of the company in the matter of selecting
its songs. The dealers who make money in their
business are the ones whose opinion the Hearst
house values when the sales possibilities of a number
are being considered. The trade is unanimous about
the winning chances of the three songs named.
The opinion of the trade, prominent musicians and
experts on the merits of musical compositions is con-
firmatory of the judgment of the experienced heads
of the Hearst Music Publishers of Canada, Ltd. The
reason why there are no "dead ones" among the
Hearst publications is because the methods of the
publishers minimize the chances of publishing a
song that misses fire. Originality is the watchword
of the company, and that quality in the Hearst pub-
lications is a big factor towards success. Timeliness
of theme is another feature that distinguishes the
Hearst numbers. "Bobbed Head" is an instance in
point.
But originality and timeliness, while admirable
qualities, would not put the songs across without the
essential characteristics of good music and good lyrics.
The musical merits of the Hearst songs and their
HEARST SONGS
A R E BACKED BY THOUSANDS
O F DOLLARS ADVERTISING.
We adverKse-You ^et the Busings
HEARST SONGS
Make your Dollars
Work Faster
HEARST SONGS
like a Bill Collector
attractive lyrical qualities combine with other things
to make the Hearst songs easy selling and profitable.
The songs have snap in words and music which is
always pleasing and in good taste. The three new
songs have all the qualities that make for a successful
song.
cent amateur song writers are not being swindled so
freely as formerly. It was by the efforts of Presto
that they were first apprehended, and their schemes
exposed. Several of the worst of the sharks were
sent to prisons, others were routed out of their shal-
lows and the fake schemes made unprofitable. Still,
there are some of them left, as letters that come to
Presto every week or so indicate. Song writers with
real songs should apply to established publishers,
unless they want to take the risk of a small invest-
ment on their own account.
MODEL SHEET MUSIC DEPARTMENT.
The methods of stocking and showing sheet music
in the store of the Traford Company, Mason City,
Iowa, are worthy of emulation by dealers eager to
brace up their sheet music departments. The influ-
ences of a good sheet music and music book depart-
ment in a music store are matters for enthusiastic
comment by George T. Elsham, the head of the firm.
The music is in a good position towards the front of
the handsome store, and good service for customers
and economy of space is effected. The constant use
of a show window for the sheet music stock keeps
sales stimulated.
A fire, starting in the repair shop of Blue's Music
Store, on North Court street, Montgomery, Ala., re-
cently did serious damage to the contents, the loss
being estimated at several hundred dollars,
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