The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-24
How the Rich Melody Of the Singer
and Instrumentalist is
Secured.
Trials of the Manager who Is Gen.
sol Plenipotentiary Of
Voices.
All Sorts Of People Come His Way-MSs'
terry of the Photograph still
Attracts.

other afternoon examining soho cuiio"'
looking machines which stood on q raised
counter in the center of the room, says the
New York Sun. Attached to each machine
was a big brass funnel, shaped like the
mouth of an exaggerated ear trumpet. An
odd little cylinder, that looked soft ana
c,sasy. reyolved at moderate speed back OF
the point of each funnel. On the other side
of the double glass doors that divided the
room from a much larger one Ill front,
three negroes and a negress were listening
intently. Their heads were close up sto
the doors and an expression OF expectancy
rested upon their faces. Presently four OF
the men III the room arranged shemselves
in front of n similar number OF fun-
nels, while the other two went in back
ard began to manipulate Il number OF
belts and screws connected with the ma
chinery. Then one of the men adjusted
the tunnels so that they were close
together. and the smallest of the quartet. a
pudgy man with a square, smooth-shavsn
face. stepped forward and said in a voice so
Ioud that it made the listening darkies
jump:
.Ihe following selection is Annie
Rooney 1t was sung on Feb by tho
Immediately the quartet began to sing in
fortissimo. The darkies did not nave to
strain their ears to hear, but they followed
the singing very closely nevertheless.
They seemed to be more interested in the
methods OF the singers than the result. AS
soon AS the song was finished, the singers
sat back and discussed their work.
THAT ought to have taken all right"
said one. .but what l don't understand IS
the way the machinery halts every once IN
a while. Seems to me the bAItery IS OUT Oh
order"
One of the men behind the machinery
now manipulated another screw, and pres
emily the machine repeated IN queer.
poured into it. Then the quartet got up
and sang another song in The same fashion,
to which the darkeys listened as lntenfiy.
They were waiting for their turn.
Every day the families who live IN the
houses adjoining the one IN which TINS per.
formance took place hear tne strains OF
music and tho sounds of highly pitched
recitations. declamations, speeches and dla-
loaues. Every day, also, a lot or people
come into the Office on the lower floor OF
this house and want to secure engagements
to talk into the photograph on the upper
story. Nearly all these persons are pro
fesslonals. Some of them expect to be paid
for their services and Others don't. Some
are satisfied with the advertising they OK
pect to get of their singing and talking, and
merely wish to CRAFTY their vanity. ihe
man who has to Judge of the fitness Of APP
plicants has a nard time of 1t occasionally.
The other day ne came down and said to
the manager:
Those women are no use to US. Trey
can't sing for sour grapes"
Five minutes Later two strong voiced
women came down the stairs in g hurry and.
Waiting into the Office of the manager,
wanted to know what arrangements lie was
prepared to make with them. They were
ignorant of the decision against them. But
they intimated that they did not have very
much respect for tie judge anyhow. They
complained OF his lack OF courtesy"
When they heard that he had reported
that their voices were not hit TO be repro-
duced by the phonograph they started for
tbs stars leading TO MS office with an
energy that frightened the manager partly
ont of his wits. BY the time he had recoy-
cred his equilibrium they were going up the
stairs two steps at a tIT1e. He overlook
them, but found it difficult to restrain them.
He tried soothing syrup for some time III
vain.
CORE ct. sweet, and all that he said. cot
course not. ! am sure your voices are very
fine: in fact. your reputation is well known
to me. Bat, as a matter of fact Getting his
voice drop TO a confidential Whisper, voices
can be too good for this purpose. A very
sweet voice won't do. PATHS songs and
those of other big singers didn't 90 yell al
ell"
Ali his efforts were wasted, however
The women looked at him with whitening
scorn.
You can't deceive us that way said
the elder of the two vehemently. We are
not spring chickens. This whole business
is a ~rascally proceeding. That scoundre
you have got up there is unfair and unjust
He only recommends his own tools. W.
would not have cared if our application
ii - Ir1 o1
Everybody has his own opinions. ! presume
but the idea of being insulted into tn
bargain. We will sue the comp2ag fol
libel, that is what We will do"
Then they stamped out, leaving the mat
ager much relieved at their departur
"Ali sorts of people corne to our OIL.
said the manager, land want to be above
to sing into the phono2raph. Many o
them can't sing at all. and even some VIII
are good singers do not seem TO be able t
use their voices effectively. We are over
run with applicants, and have lots of note
people on our list. We employ a man t
90 nothing but play the piano for til
vocalists. The man who tests the
voices listens to the applicant while h
sings a few bars, and if ne thinl
the voice suitable he spends considerabl
time i'll InstructIng its owner IN the way /
should sing into the photograph. 1t is yer
difficult to do that well. Many of the az
plicants want to throw a carload of patht
into their voices, or sing in a stacy tur
and strut about mechanically, -
they were before an audience. That won
do at all. The tone must be natural, IN
the words distinctly spoken. ArtIcuiatlo
is a yety important element IN securIr
good results. The SINCE must stand ST.
at a certain distance from the receiver. an
sing loudly and clearly. Not one out of te
of the singers who appeal to the publ
possesses n voice suitable for the phone
graph. We find II especially difficult TO OF
tam a sulteble female voice. he quail
of the voice seems to be too fine and K
thin. i baritone is tine best voice for o.
purposes. Although most of our appl
cants volunteer to sing for nothing. just
have thelr names repeated by the machin
we pay a good and suitable sinXer We
We don't have much use for the nigh ella
operate airs, but find that the popul
Songs take much better
TIT company keeps a book in which q
written the names of persons who ha
sung or spoken into the phonograph. /
Stevens, of the Casino company, has be
there frequently. and 50 have a number
other comic opera fayorites. The Twent
third street theatre band pours it's melo
into the phonograph about four times
week. Any number Of trios, quartz
auintets and sextets are on the list.
the cylinders on which these songs hs
been recorded are labeled and put away
their proper shelves. The "a
recitation is frequently repeated
half a dozen cylinders. The latter
rented out to the owners of phonograp
or are put into the nickel-in-ths-slOt L
-