This note is in response to recent postings by Eugene Rogers and Jim
Weisenborne regarding the test roll, and other rolls, for the Hammond
organ.  Over the past few days I have done what research I can, given
the somewhat limited contacts I have with organ roll collectors.  I
offer what I have learned as tentative, subject to further
investigation and demonstration of proof.

The Aeolian Company seems to have manufactured organ rolls of two
types, which I think of as "narrow" and "wide."  The narrow rolls
apparently played notes only.  The wide rolls, which were what
mathematicians call a "superset" of the narrow rolls, also set stops.
Some roll players were manufactured that could accomodate both types of
rolls.  These rolls had perforations spaced 1/12 inch apart, and
alternate perforations were staggered in alternate rows.  This required
the use of a special tracker bar having staggered ports.

In 1933, the Aeolian organ interests were purchased by the Skinner
Organ Company.  Among the assets acquired by Skinner were the
perforating machinery and master roll library previously used by
Aeolian.  Skinner continued to perforate wide rolls for the Aeolian
organs, using the original master rolls and the original perforating
machinery acquired from Aeolian.  The only difference in these rolls is
that the labels now said "Duo-Art Music" across the top and
"Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co." across the bottom.  In all other respects,
the rolls are interchangeable with those manufactured earlier by
Aeolian.

In 1938, the Skinner organ company began production of rolls intended
for use with the Hammond organ.  These rolls are 10-1/8 inches wide
with 120 ports, spaced 1/12 inch apart, and in line (i.e., not
staggered).  The leftmost port is used for rewind.  According to Eugene
Rogers, the next two ports are unused.  The test roll shows that the
remaining ports control the pedalboard and the Great and Swell
manuals.  These rolls are labelled "Duo-Art Music" across the top.
Immediately beneath this legend are the words "Semi-Automatic."  There
is no reference to the Hammond organ on the labels and in fact the name
"Hammond" does not appear anywhere on the rolls.  Thus, I believe these
rolls should properly be called "Aeolian-Skinner Semi-Automatic" rolls
or "Semi-Automatic" rolls, not "Aeolian-Hammond" rolls.  The music was
derived from the library of Skinner organ rolls, which predated the
acquisition of the Aeolian assets.  Thus, there is no overlap between
the music in the "Aeolian-Skinner" wide rolls (actually Aeolian rolls
manufactued by Skinner) and the Aeolian-Skinner Semi-Automatic rolls
intended for use with the Hammond Organ..

The perforating machinery used for the Semi-Automatic rolls may have
been acquired from Aeolian; the rolls are the same width as the Aeolian
narrow rolls.  The flanges, however, are different.  The Semi-Automatic
rolls use standard flanges, identical to those used in the player piano
and reproducing piano industries, whereas the earlier Aeolian narrow
rolls used flanges with protruding pins, similar (in appearance, at
least) to those used with 65-note rolls.

I believe the name "Aeolian-Hammond" is new, coined only very
recently.  I have examined hundreds of Semi-Automatic rolls, and the
name "Hammond" does not appear anywhere on any of them.  I have never
seen the words "Aeolian" and "Hammond" together in any connection, and
never as "Aeolian-Hammond."

Eugene: To answer your question directly, I do not know exactly how you
could get a new test roll, or any other Semi-Automatic rolls,
perforated from restored master rolls.  Janet and Richard Tonnesen
perforate new music rolls from computer-generated files, but my
understanding is that they are presently perforating rolls conforming
to the standard of the Buffalo Convention (that is, 11-1/4 inches wide,
with a port spacing of 1/9 inch).  Playrite Music Rolls seems to have
the appropriate die set, but they do not perforate from disk files.  I
think your best bet is to pursue the postings in this Digest in the
last few days from the two parties who have built flexible (i.e.
variable spacing) perforators that operate under software control.
Surely, somewhere there is someone who can perforate this important
test roll.

I hope this note is useful.  With best regards, I remain

Sincerely Yours,

Wayne Stahnke