In talking about a Melodee/Gulbransen roll, Dave Saul recently said:
"They have the distinctive "punch two-skip two" pattern repeated
throughout the extent of each accented note, an editing technique
widely used by Frank Milne, and believed by some to have been
originated by him."

Calling it an editing technique brings some questions to mind: My
question is, does the chaining pattern make any difference in the sound
of the music?  Regardless of the chaining pattern, once a note is
activated, it stays activated, right?  For example, if I have a note
with a long slot, and then the same note cut with a bunch of chained
individual holes, they would both sound the same.  The chaining was
only there to strengthen/stabilize the paper.

Were special punch patterns (like the punch two-skip two chaining
mentioned above) just for looks, or did they serve a real purpose?

Rick Inzero, Northern Telecom, Inc. , Rochester, NY, rdi@cci.com