New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
BOON TO MUSIC LOVERS
Invention Permits Wonderful
PIayer-PianO Effects.

a mechanical player-plano that would
give forth music as a skilled pianist would
play il. with his tempo and his tone color
ing. and freed from the maddening monot-
ouous accuracy OF most such machines, has
long been the despair Of the manufacturers
Of mechanical pianos and the dream OF In
yentors. The tum. tum, tum Of the. piano
player has become a nightmare TO musical
visitors in unmusical households. Mary,
Henry and Jane, who have no musical
taste OF education, have each bought
player piano. and each pumps away at II
whenever n, new caller arrives. often to his
despair and the despair OF the dwellers in
the adjoining flats.
II Is true that the various adjustments
upon the piano player would make posi-
bic a very different type Of music had Mary,
Henry or Jane either musical taste or edu-
cation. But had they musical education
they would not need the piano player, and
very few Of them, also, have musical taste.
Where. then, can he found a mechanical
piano that will give forth music exactly or
nearly exactly as d great pianist, say. Hof
mann or Bauer plays il? There are several
such pianos advertised. but they are all
exceedingly expensive, and are not within
the reach Of the ordinary persons purse.
1t is just here that Charles Fuller Stod-
dard. well known as the inventor Of the
pneumatic mail tube used by the United
States PostOfiice Department, believes that
he has perfected an invention that will
make possible the Introduction Of piano
music as played by a master into every
household possessing player piano.
Mr. Stoddard's invention is not new
type Of piano. though he has also invented
one Of these but new kind of music roll
which is capable Of introduction into prac-
tlcally any Of the numerous sorts Of me
chanical pianos now on the market II Is
not. therefore. necessary for the owner Of
such piano to purchase new one In
order to benefit by Mr.. Stoddard's inven-
tion. and as the music rolls cost only about
% per cent more than the ordinary type
they lie within the purchasing power Of
practically every one who owns a player
piano. Mr. Stoddard believes that his in
vention will prove OF enormous use in inn
proving the musical taste Of the country. as
the rolls Of themselves, with no help from
the owner, produce a composition with the
tempo and the tone color of--in fact, prac-
tically as Il is played by--a great pianist.
IT is, therefore, MIR Stoddard says, impossi-
bic for these rolls TO produce music that is
mechanical
A Tribune reporter found Mr.. Stoddsrd
last week I'm his work room in the Ameri-
can Piano Company's offices, at Fifth ave-
nue. and 39th street, and 10 this reporter the
inventor talked freely and enthusiastically.
Though not by profession a musician, I
had long been interested i'm music, and cs-
peclally in the various sorts OF mechanical
pianos that might educate the general mu-
steal taste OF the community" said Mr..
Stoddard. 1T had always seemed TO me
that a great future-a great artistic fut-
ure-lay In the player piano. but future
that could be attained only when the me-
chanical accuracy of the usual machine
had been eliminated. and feeling and tone
color substituted. 1t was TO this end that
! turned my efforts five years ago. | was
then living in Boston and was the gen.
eral superintendent of the company that
manufactures the pneumatic mail tube used
by the United States government This
tube had invented, and out OF my earn
ings had saved $500. This sum deter
ined to use TO discover some way OF i'm
proving the player-piano.
at first my efforts were directed entire
ly toward inventlng a new piano Soon my
$500 was gone, but luckily had succeeded
in interesting the Knabe piano people, and
they stuck by me Loyalty. This plano L
have now completed, but It was In another