As per the request for new threads, please consider the following:

A book list that would serve as background for someone with no mechanical
music background (like me).

A series of articles designed to be general introductions to mechanical
music categories.  Perhaps three categories to start would be music boxes,
organs, pianos...

Another series of articles designed to round out info in all of the major
mm categories as mentioned above.  There are basic considerations like
appearance, options or variations, history, roll/book/disc--ographies,
technical concerns like maintenance, repair, renovation, restoration,
replication, etc.  An archive of plans is especially appropriate;
materials, methods and tools are all of interest; include sources of
supply and relevant contacts with suitable permissions, of course, etc.

This plea is prompted by my continuing ignorance in things MMD.  I still
read the digest everyday, virtually every entry, and find knowledge and
understanding coming only very slowly.  **Better than before I discovered
the MMD**, but still frustrating....

Lately, I have especially enjoyed the technical discussions, and I've
been heartened by the calls for instrument plans.  And most so by
comments about proposals for new designs/approaches/whatever to
mechanical music making.

I have always been a purist at heart, not wanting to change something
which was inherently valuable, for my own whims.  I tend to feel the same
way about the mm instruments.  For myself, however, I'm more inclined to
want to see modern technology combined with satisfying instruments such
as the piano and organ, in an effort to 'mechanically' replicate the live
performance of a recorded artist on the 'machine' in my home.  For now,
this seems to be my goal.

I sincerely appreciate the articles, which require great effort and
knowledge not available to everyone, from the many who make substantial
contributions to this forum, .  This is what I seek.  But I do not wish
to forget the, for me, more incidental values I find in the other
contributions.  One never knows what new fascination might lie in the
next sentence!

Thanks, again, for the opportunity to make these suggestions and
requests, and to all those who make this forum possible.

Best wishes,

Richard Danzey