[ cmorgan wrote in 040521 MMDigest:


>> I just purchased a nickelodeon with a metal xylophone in it.
>> When it goes to play the notes on the xylophone, instead of the
>> ball striking it once and then letting the sound resonate, the
>> ball strikes it many times very rapidly in succession.


The answer is "Yes", it is normal.  You say it is a metal xylophone.
That means it is not a xylophone at all, but orchestra bells or
glockenspiel.

There are both bells and xylophones on nickelodeons and orchestrions.
Some reiterate like yours others do single stroke.  It may sound odd
to you, but how often do you hear a nickelodeon, after all!  They are
not to be found everywhere like they once were.  If you don't like the
reiteration you may disable that.  It was done either with the
pneumatic itself or the valve/pouch or possibly by the roll alone.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com