[ A "themed" roll is simply an 88-note roll but with extra holes which
 [ operate a pneumatic "theme" device.  Notes struck coincident with the
 [ tiny extra "snake-bite" holes will be accented if the system is set to
 [ play "un-themed" notes at a softer "subdued" level.  -- Robbie

Colin Hinz asked if the rolls made for the Themodist and Solodant
expression systems are mutually compatible.

"Solodant" was originally Hupfeld's name for their theme system which,
like a lot of the later instruments and even some early Aeolian Themodist
machines, only gave you one level of subduing on the non-themed notes when
you pushed the lever or button. You couldn't undo this subduing gradually
if you wanted a crescendo, you had to switch the whole system off.

Aeolian kicked off in 1897 with a graduated subdue using slider levers
years before Themodist (treble only to start with, then bass plus treble
circa 1899).  When they agreed with Hupfeld to use the theme system, it
was natural that they would make the "snakebites" undo the subduing they
already had, so they had "graduated subduing" from the start.  This turned
out to be vastly superior once the user understood what was going on.

With Aeolian machines appearing in Germany, Hupfeld were quick to appre-
ciate the difference and all their 88-note rolls and machines were
designed from the start (1908) for graduated subduing.  So Animatic rolls
have snakebites all the way through, because the user can remove their
effect in loud playing if desired.  Aeolian, on the other hand, sold its
rolls to people with wretched "button subdue" systems, so all the loud
parts had to be labeled NORMAL to tell them to switch the theme system
off, and the softer parts labeled SOLO to tell them snakebites were coming
again, even though none of this was needed on its own Aeolian instruments.
This NORMAL/SOLO convention was used everywhere except in France, where
Pleyela (but not EMP !) called SOLO "CHANTEUR".

Apart from this, themed rolls are themed rolls and you can use them on any
system if you know what you're doing with the controls.  Themed rolls are
the most common type in the UK; three sources here are

    Steve Cox (dealer, also recuts Duo-Arts))
    Laguna Rolls
    Laguna
    Lagoon Road
    PAGHAM
    West Sussex PO21 4TH    tel/fax +44 1243 262041

    Frances Broadway ("Roll Bid Enterprise" - postal auction)
    39 Sydner Road  (NB: Sydner not Sydney)
    Stoke Newington
    LONDON
    N16 7UF
    tel +44 171 254 6145 ; fax +44 171 249 0130 (dedicated line)

    Michael Boyd
    Universal Music Co
    18 Cinque Ports Street
    RYE
    East Sussex TN31 7AD     tel +44 1797 223688
    Universal 88n rolls (accurate copies of UK 1909-1955
    Universal/Metrostyle/Themodist etc plus some new titles);
    Duo-Arts from UK master rolls; Perforetur (new classical,
    in Themodist style).

Apart from that, Paul Johnson on this Digest list sometimes recuts theme
rolls, Robbie Rhodes has even made some (wonderful, too) and I am sure
there are others.

Dan Wilson