Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-01-07
TEACHING BIRDS.
an Interesting Operation That
Requires Much Patience.
{ specially Constructed Organ Is Also
Necessary for the Purposc--some
of the Airs Employed in
the Lessons.

{ specially Constructed Organ Is Also
Eeccssary for the Purposc--Some
of the Airs Employed in
the Lessons.
Probably not one reader in 1000 ever
heard of a bird organ or saw
one. They are made only in France,
and are imported to this country
in small numbers, as dealers in mu-
steal boxes have few calls for them,
and generally send for them only upon
orders from customers. They are
made solely for teaching tunes to
canaries and bullfinches. 4 wooden
box about foot square contains a
large roller covered with pasteboard
upon which brass pins are set accord
ing to the system used in preparing
the rolls Of music boxes. Beneath the
roller is a small pair of bellows, and in
the back of the box is set a row of ten
metal pipes about the size Of a long
lead pencil. When the crank on the
outside OF the box is rapidly turned
wind is forced into the pipes, as the
valves open when the metal tongue be-
longing to each is struck by pin on the
roller. The music is therefore pro-
duced on the principle of a set of
Pans pipes, and is very shrill and high,
yet sweet and full.
The ten notes produced by the ten
pipes range from middle & in the staff
10 b, above, or an octave and three notes.
That is, the bird music is writtenin the
octave used in the musical notation
for the human voice, but properly
would be written in an octave higher
when comparing the voice of canary
with the voice of soprano. However,
the quality of the tones differ so great
ly that the shrill, clear pipe OF the bird
makes it's voice sound as if it were
pitched much higher than is really the
case.
The bird organ" IS pitched in exact
ly the same tone and key as the voice
of the canary, or perhaps this is put
ting the cart before the horse, for the
bird strikes faultessly the key and
tone of tie pipes. It is more accurate
to say, after all. that on the hand the.
organs are pitched to be with the ca
nary's voice, as the result Of the eX-
perience of the builders, and that the
canary shows wonderful power OF i'm
itation in falling i'll with the tone quail
tiles Of its teacher. If one note in the
organ is off tie key in the slightest de-
gree the bird takes the same tone, and
If il once learns that note wrong it
will always carry the blemish in the
harmony. All Of the airs used in these
organs are written in the keys OF G,
3ne sharp, or in c, and as they have
only the range OF ten notes, from G
to Z, it is very difficult to adapt many
tunes to tie limitations of canary
music.
There is a dealer in music boxes On
Ridge avenue who sells bird organs"
md writes music 1or the canary teach
IFS. He has Il drawer filed with man
uscript music which he has arranged for
use in these bird organs" and he also
outs tunes to order On the rollers. lie
has bird organs which pipe roper
loire of seven airs, with "Mulligan
Guards" yankee Doodle ~ Dream
Of Love-" Lucy Gray" down Went
McGinty," and You Can't Play in My
Yard" all on one roller.
"One tune is all that man tries to
teach a canary" he said, land he will
never let the bird hear more than that
ono. He keeps the bird in q quiet room
while he is teaching it ard doesn't letit
hear the voice OF another bird. \ ca
narv's brain is not very big, and he gets
his musical memory tangled ii he hears
more than the same Old tune. have
heard of birds that could whistle two
airs, but these are very rare, and it is
I risky undertaking. For when
bird is working on the second tune
he IS likely 10 get mixed win
the first, and then all your troubles
o ne for nothing. It's simply a cues
ton of time and patience. You've just
got 10 play the tune ON the organ as
often as you get chance; tie more
the better; you'll grind away fer two
or three months, or longer, perhaps for
six months.
IF you have the lucl; TO get bright
bird, hell begin to notice the tune in
three months. At first he'll sing twoor
three bars, then falter and start over
again. When he has learned the air all
the way through his voice Is weak and
uncertain, but it gets stronger and
more confident all the time. When lie
once picks it up your troubles are over.
It's simply matter Of time and prac-
tice then. It's all luck in getting a
bright bird with a good ear, and the
sweetest singer may turn out a failure
rs Il trained soloist. BuIlGnches are cas- i.
Ter to teach, but they are so short-lired
that the results are scarcely worth the
trouble. 4 canary viii keep his voice
and memory for eight Or ten years
and he makes the sweetest music in
the world
The herman s pdt4Sl-SC anu 4O'N ~
music make him most successful in the
training of canaries, and nearly all
of the schooled songsters in Phiiadel-
nhia have been educated by Germans.
The man has sold several at an average
price of about $toO. There are many
curious industries in great city, but
none mere unusual than the educating
Of canaries, and the adding to ones in
come by selling bird organs" and writ
ing music for these little soprano stars.
The music furnished is very simple,and
accidenta!s. grace, notes, runs ard
9uayers are ruled out. But the adapter
has not an easy task with his imitation
Of key and range, and earns all that he
gains in this unique fashion. Qcca-
.ionally a customer calls fer an air
which the adaptcr discovers cannot be
adapted 10 the. vocal powers of the
canary, and is obliged to find a satisfac-
n.y., substitute. "TInCse. Sweet Home"