Film Fun (1928 - 1942 (assorted issues))

‘How My Wife Learned, to Play the Piano in QO Days Ip IIP1 m 1 fe fqi:l ^ _ 'till 1 LI ^ if t-inXCC? . i ' 4 i V. / If A husband’s story of the fulfillment of a life-long wish — by a new, easy, spare¬ time method which has brought the joy of music into thousands of silent homes. FROM boyhood, I vowed that if ever I had a home of my own there woald be music in it. No wife for me un¬ less she could play some instrument, and play it well. My new home must have no dull, bored evenings, no monotonous Sun¬ day afternoons. I wanted the gaiety, the mental and physical stimulus, the whole¬ hearted, genuine joy of music. No girl could capture me without the lure of musical skill. But one day Beth came along, know¬ ing not one note from another, yet with a merry, humming tune forever on her lips, and a song in her heart for me. And Beth is Mrs. Taylor today. A piano graced our new home, but somehow the old vow was forgotten, and stayed for¬ gotten until Jimmy, Jr., and Beth No. 2 were quite some youngsters. Then along about the time the novelty of parenthood began to wear off a bit, the old vow came back. And one eve¬ ning I spoke out with a suddenness that surprised me, “Beth, I’d give a hundred dollars if you could play something — a piano, violin, banjo, ukulele — something, anything.” Beth looked so hurt I was immediately ashamed of myself, so I said no more, and the matter dropped, as I thought regretfully, forever. About three months later 1 got home early one night, and I heard the old dead piano come to life — sounded good, too, first a little jazzy piece, then a sweet plantation melody. “Company to sup¬ per ; I wonder who ?” I thought ; and I crept into the parlor door to see. There at the piano was Beth playing, and the two kiddies beating time. She saw me, and stopped, "Oh,” she cried, “I’m so sorry !” “Believe me, I’m not,” I shouted, and I grabbed the whole family up in my arms. “But, Jim, I wanted to wait and sur¬ prise you when I could really play. I'm learning fast, but it’s only three months since I found out” — “Found out what?” I said. Beth began to cry. “I know !” Jimmy, Jr., piped up, “Mother found out the way to learn music just like I am learning to read in school — only lots easier.” Well, that little musical party was a howling success. When the kiddies had gone singing to bed, my wife showed me the marvelous new method by which she had learned to play in three months’ spare time. \Fs <5 o £ (r\ O _ C _ _ i X. / r SUCCESS! “I do not understand how you can give so much for the money. The course is a musical education in itself. I wish more people in limited financial cir¬ cumstances would realize that one can really suc¬ cessfully learn to play from your course without the aid of a teacher.” — W. E. W., Montesano, Wash. "I want to extend the heartiest approval of your Piano Course. It has done more for me than years of other lessons.” — Moxie N. Lewis, 319 Jefferson St., Neosho, Mo. WHICH INSTRUMENT do you want to learn how to play the new, quick way? Courses for begin¬ ners or advanced pupils. Piano Violin Organ Clarinet Ukulele Fluto Cornet Saxophone Trombone Harp Piccolo Mandolin Guitar ’Cello Hawaiian Steel Guitar Sight Singing Piano Accordion Voice and Speech Culture Harmony and Composition Drums and Traps Automatic Finger Control Banjo (Plectrum, 5-String or Tenor) Jimmy, Jr., had told the truth ; the method was so simple and easy that anyone at all from 8 years up could learn by it. By this method the U. S. School of Music, the larg¬ est in the world, has already trained half a million people, teaching the playing of any musical instrument almost in the same way a school-child learns to read. But very much faster because older children and grown people have better trained minds, and know how to study and think. When first learning to read you look at every letter separately, and spell out every word, c-a-t, m-a-n. Later you do not see the letters; you see the words as units, “cat,” “man.” By and by longer words become units to you, and you find that whole expressions, like “up the steps,” “on the train,” no longer are seen as separate words, but immediately, at one instant, without spelling, with¬ out thinking words, you see each expression in the unit form. This skill in seeing in units develops until you see and know as units hundreds of long familiar phrases; and it is even entirely possible, if you wish, to easily increase your reading speed four or five times the average, grasping paragraph thoughts complete, sensing a whole page instantly, recognizing every part, registering and remembering all, with your pleasure exactly the same as the slower reader. The same easy understanding and complete en¬ joyment is similarly a part of the new way. The alphabet of music follows the alphabet of language. Each note is a letter, and playing is practically spelling the notes together correctly. The first note on the staff above is F. Whether you sing or play, it is always F. The four notes shown above are F-A-C-E, easy to remember because they spell “face.” Certain strings on mandolin, certain keys on piano, certain parts of all instruments, are these same notes. Once you learn them, playing melodies is a matter of acting what you see. U. S. School of Music, And here is where “familiar phrases” come 326 Brunswick Bldg., New York City, in — the “big secret.” It is so simple you probably have already guessed it. The “familiar phrases” . Please s*nd nleT fr?e book “Music Lessons of music are its harmonies. Tust as you instantly Your Own Home with introduction by Dr. A ., , r ‘ i ,1 rrank Crane, Demonstration Lesson and par recognize the countless phrases of speech so the ticulars of offer. j am interested in the relatively few of music are quickly a habit with following course: you. You play almost before you realize it — and every step is real fun, fascinating, simple, inter¬ esting, almost too good to be true. . Remember, neither my wife nor most of the half . a million other musicians trained by this method Have you above instrument . knew anything about music. Bet'h learned to play the piano; she could just as easily have learned any other Name . instrument. Jimmy, Jr., is now taking up violin, and (Please write plainly) my daughter is learning singing. Right at home, no costly teacher, no classes at inconvenient hours, no useless study and practice. No numbers, no Address . tricks, no makeshifts. But instead, a sound musical education, learning by notes. The intricacies of City . State . music reduced to a most amazing simplicity, able to develop the inborn talent which is a part of every per¬ son on this earth. When I told Beth 1 was writ¬ ing this out to put in a maga¬ zine, she told me to be sure and say that the school will gladly send a free book explain ing everything, called “Music Les¬ sons in Your Own Home,” also Dem¬ onstration Lessons explaining their easy method. The book is free, asking for it obligates you not at all —but you should send for it right away before all copies may be gone. JAMES W. TAYLOR. Mr. Taylor is enthusiastic. He has a right to be. Yet when you read the facts in our book you will appreciate that his opinion is conservative. You, too, can learn to play your favorite instru¬ ment, or to sing. Mail tlie coupon below to the U. S. School of Music, 326 Brunswick Building, New York City. Or send a postcard. But act at once. Do not delay. Pleas© write name and address plainly so that there will he no difficulty in booklet reaching yop.