RECORDING MACHINE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 24

RECORDING MACHINE

TO CAPTURE ELUSIVE MELODIES ON THE PIANO Hundreds—possibly thousands—of pianists possess the power of improvising music at the piano. That is to say, they can evolve a more or less original tune from their heads on the spur of the moment while idly fingering the keyboard. A carelessly struck chord, arpeggio, or group of notes may suddenly point the way to a melody which, if the pianist be a clever musician, may be developed into quite a good piece as he or she plays on. But only for the moment! . When the player rises from the piano, or very soon afterwards, the »tune, however good it may have been, is forgotten, and try as one will the elusive melody refuses to come back to the head. j It is the inability of so many impro- \ vising pianists to commit the fruivs of their inspiration to paper at the actual time of playing that undoubtedly pre- J vents a large number of original compositions of value finding their way into j print, writes "Allegro" in the "Musi-1 cal Mirror," and explains the reason j why tho number of composers is so small compared to the number of executive' musicians. To compose music that I will last—always assuming, of course, j that the necessary inspiration is forth-1 coming—a player must be possessed of a retentive musical memory,- and be able to rapidly jot down on paper as: he goes along (or immediately after- j wards) the rough form of the composition at the time of its conception in the brain. Now,- however, a remarkable new invention has made its appearance in America, which, if it performs all that is claimed for it, will actually note down on paper the music conceived by an improvising pianist at the time of playing. The invention, which is the work of Dr. Moritz Stoehr, professor at Mount St. Vincent College, New York, takes the form of a contrivance built up on typewriter principles which is placed above the keyboard of the piano, and impresses on a revolving roll of paper the mutic played by the pianist.

The machine contains a number of small levers which print on paper bearing an enlarged replica of the musical staves, marks proportionate in length to the time-value of the notes. Spaces between marks denote the time-value of rests. The scale-lines are spaced according to the number—three or four— of semi-tonea included between them. A central line between the stave represents Middle-C, the upper staff beginning at the following E, and the lower staff at the A immediately below. Accidentals are calculated by the degree from each line of the paper any notemarking occurs; as the marking-levers are graduated according to position of the key. The time-signature is recorded by hand on the finished record, so that the proportions of the notes may be calculated. r The benefits of this device are enhanced by the fact that it may be used while detached from the piano.' Resting upon any article of furniture, the keyboard may be used for improvisation and recording. The roll of paper is revolved by a small motor, the speed of which may be adjusted. The keys of the piano become the keys of the typewriting device indirectly.

The functions of recording the transposing may be carried out at the same time, as the machine is intended to be used in connection with Dr. Stoehr'a transposing keyboard, another invention that can be placed over the ordinary piano keyboard without any fastening "being necessary.

If this new machine proves its worth in a general sense it may be the means of bringing forward as composers crowds of players who' in the ordinary way would never be known as such. The possibilities are enormous, and we shall look forward with keen interest to further developments of the invention.