The talking machine world (Jan-June 1919)

8 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD July 15, 1919 PIJBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc. President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low. J. B. SPILLANE, Editor RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors Trade Representatives: Wilson D. Bush, C. Chace, Edward Lymah Bill, V. D. Walsh, E. B. Munch, Chas. A. Leonard, L. E. Bowers, A. J. Nicklin Boston: John H. Wilson, 324 Washington Street ■ Cbtcaeo Office: Edward Van Harlingen and Associates, Republic Building, 209 South State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774 . London, Eng., Office; 2 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St. W. Lionel Stuidy, Mgr. ) The Talking Machine World has regular correspondents located in all of the principal I cities throughout America. Published the 15th of every month at 373 Fourth Ave., New York. SUBSCRIPTION (including postage): United States, Mexico, $2.00 per Year; Canada, $3.00; all other countries, ?4.00. Sirigle copies, 25 cents. ADVBRTISBMKNTS I $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $125.00. RBMITTANCES should be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., by check or Post Office Money Order. i I®" NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS.— Advertising copy should reach this office before the first of each month. By following this rule clients will greatly facilitate work at the' publication headquarters. Long Distance Telephones — Numbers 5982-5983 Madison Sq. Cable Address: "Elbill." New York. NEW YORK, JULY 15, 1919 THE past month, being recognized as the convention season, has seen the holding of several conventions in the talking machine trade, bringing together various prominent trade interests. It is true that the industry has not yet advanced to the point, for some reason or other, where it can boast of a national association taking in representatives of all interests, but, in the absence of such an all-embracing body, it seems well that those wholesalers and retailers affiliated directly or indirectly with one or the other of the large manufacturing companies come together for a discussion of the business problems, and for the mapping out of campaigns for future business. The conventions this year have been particularly important, inasmuch as the war has ended, and there have cropped up in its wake many questions of business character that require elucidation. The subject of production has, of course, been a dominating one for the trade throughout the country, which has been underfed in the matter of stock for many months past, and it is particularly timely now that the hunger for goods has passed the passive stage. For the various factories to get back on even a pre-war basis has been a ■ severe task, but as they have approached that welcome goal they find that although production has lagged during the war period the demand has increased in almost direct ratio. In fact, pre-war standards of production and of marketing are not adequate to presentday needs. Then, too, there are changes in sales policies that must be con' sidered. It is just possible that a seller's market may not reign supreme in the talking machine field, and it is the duty of farseeing business men to provide against any such contingency while laying plans in advance of any necessity for their carrying out. These questions have been threshed out at several conventions more or less to the satisfaction of those directly interested. That the industry is not standing still in the matter of style development while endeavoring to catch up on production has been evidenced bv 1 the many new creations in machines that have been ofifered in and i outside of the conventions. The industry is going ahead in more : ways than one. It is broadening out, and does not require attendance at the convention to make known that fact. ■ The get-together spirit — the willingness to meet and discuss : questions that are best solved through an interchange of opinion rather than by the sole efforts of the individual himself — is the spirit : that should be encouraged, for it works directly to the advantage of the industry as a whole. AFTER many months of effort on the part of various interested parties to persuade the talking machine interests to become affiliated with the piano and other divisions of the industry in support of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, thus having every branch of the music industry represented in that organization and making it all-embracing, it appears that the desired result has been obtained in some small measure at least through the recent affiliation of the Talking Machine Men, Inc., of New York, with the National Association of Music Merchants. The national organization is a divisional member of the Chamber of Commerce, and therefore the Talking Machine Men, Inc., through its membership in the Association becomes automatically affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce. It must be admitted that the attitude of the talking machine men as a rule has not been favorable to the Chamber of Commerce plan, as a result of some idea, whether based on fact or not, that the piano men were inclined to gain their own ends in tax matters and other questions at the expense of the talking machine trade. With the urgent necessity for self-preservation removed with the ending of the war, it may be that a cordial relationship will be established) between talking machine and piano interests in the nature of their business as members of the same music industry, with their business connections through retail distributing channels, and with the same advantages to be gained by a more general advancement of the cause of music. The change in the constitution of the National Association of Piano Merchants resulted in the changing of the name of that organization to the "National Association of Music Merchants," and the opening of membership rights to all retailers in musical instruments clears the way for various talking machine organizations to become affiliated with that body, and through it with the Chamber of Commerce, without being under obligation to form their own distinct trade division. THE members of the music industry have come to a full realization of a new attitude of the American public toward music and of the fact that the United States already is or is fast becoming the musical nation of the world. It is gratifying to find, however, that this new attitude of the public towards music and the influences that have brought about that new attitude have become recognized outside of the industry, proof of which is ofifered in a lead.ing article in Printers' Ink recently by Frank H. Williams, in which the' writer points out most convincingly that the advertising of the music industry during the past few years is the advertising that has most deeply affected American national life. A number of factors joined together have succeeded in producing this recognized result, but without question the two leading factors have been the advertising of the talking machine manufacturers and of the player-piano manufacturers. Having developed their instruments to a point where they were not to be considered as novelties, these manufacturers concentrated their advertising arguments on music, and they kept pounding away on the fact that music was an essential part of the home life ; that it was absolutely necessary to human happiness, and could be obtained readily, and in desired quantities and quality, through the medium of talking machines, player-pianos and other instruments. Coupled with this advertising has been the propaganda for music carried on by various interests in and out of the trade, but principally by the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music, which, through the encouragement of community singing, musicmemory contests, co-operative advertising, and by other means, has served to co-ordinate and expand the various forces working for music to the end that the public has had music ofifered at every turn. The straight advertising has been the primary cause of this new attitude toward music and things musical. The public was informed not of the details of the instrument, for it was assumed that it knew something of the product, but the attack was made along the lines of giving music lovers, and particularly those who had not given the matter thought, some idea of the opportunities of education and entertainment offered by the music obtainable through various types of instruments. Some years ago there was much criticism of "canned" music. It was a standing joke in certain quarters. Now this same "canned" music is taken seriously and its nickname has passed, for there is no question but that music produced by automatic means, either through the medium of the