Piano Roll Cutting:

I just finished reading Robbie Rhodes discussion of Roll Perforating
systems and I believe that I will add a small comment concerning
Keystone Music Rolls. I believe that they are still using the
original 3 to 1 masters and also an original perforator in the pro-
duction of many AMPICO rolls. Where a master roll is not available
a 1 to 1 copy is made from an existing original. I have overlaid
new rolls from Keystone on top of existing original AMPICO and they
have matched exactly. I can not be completely certain if Keystone's
perforator is one of the originals or not. A call to Keystone could
resolve that question. 

Another comment thrown in for good measure. I have two copies of
"The sweetheart of Sigma Chi" and also Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in
c# minor", all four are originals, all four are "B" copies. The
"Sweetheart" rolls have different coding at the beginning of the
roll, including the addition/deletion of the soft pedal. On the
"Prelude" rolls, one roll's chords are held for about 2 1/2 inches,
the other roll has chords held for about 1 inch. Both have sustain
on at those spots. It seems as if they changed the roll during its
production to compensate for a deficiency in the coding or else
the artist's wishes. I also have a copy of Kreisler's "Caprice
Viennois" on a "A" roll with a wrong note in the bass line which 
is corrected in a subsequent "B" issue. Has anyone else come up with
strange anomolies?

Also, Elmer Brooks, during his tenure at the American Piano Company
in Rochester as plant manager(?)would give tours, I have heard.
During these tours, if someone impressed Mr. Brooks as being gen
uinely interested in the field, he would present that person with
rolls, gratis. These would often be trial cuttings. I have come
across a few of these over a period of years. Does anyone know of
any trial cuttings which were never issued as regular rolls? I know
for example that Rachmaninoff recorded his 2nd Piano Concerto, but
that it was never issued. It would be a veritable treasure if the 
trial cuttings for the three movements could be found and issued
after all these years!!!


Mike Walter bf105@freenet.buffalo.edu