Interesting stuff, this, and something I've wanted to read for a long
time (see my note to MMD 20061122), as "the 1908 convention" has been
mere hearsay until now!  Now, to me it's always been 1908, and it's
interesting to hear that others have held different years in mind.

The report makes it clear that this meeting was formalising a
well-established approach, because the major manufacturers were already
making rolls to this standard, and were also making instruments for it
(my Gotha Steck grand pre-dates the agreement, for instance).

So, we still don't know who designed the 88-note scale, but this article
does confirm something that we already know, which is that the standard
88-note roll spool was an Aeolian design.  We also see that Edwin Votey
lead in taking the vote to adopt the 9-holes-per-inch 88-note standard
-- what's the betting it was something he'd designed as well?

The subsequent article by William Braid White is interesting for another
reason, because it's purest sour grapes!  He wanted the 8-holes-per-inch
scale, he considered accenting devices to be "gradually destroying the
artistic status of the player" (as idiotic a statement as I've ever
read), and clearly thought that the argument "it'll need a tracking
device" was all the proof needed to strike down the 9/inch scale (as if
one more gizmo would make any difference in the wider scheme of things)
-- which just goes to show the entrenched degree of blinkered thinking
in the industry in 1908.  All this written after the new scale had been
adopted!  If his attitude was representative it's even more astonishing
that any agreement was ever reached.

So, my thanks to the intrepid researchers and document-scanners!  Now,
what's in the rest of the 200 gigabytes of scans?

Julian Dyer

 [ In 1908 William Braid White was the technical editor (hence primary
 [ technical author) at Music Trade Review.  This journal was supported
 [ by adverts purchased by dealers and manufacturers, who generally
 [ distrust change because profits decline.  In this situation a staff
 [ writer doesn't 'make waves'; rather, he reflects the anxiety of
 [ his readers.  Mr. White changed his view when he wrote books about
 [ player pianos in later years, when 9/inch was the accepted standard.
 [ -- Robbie