Hi folks,  Happy New Year!  We haven't had a music box thread
in a while so I thought I'd see if I could start one.  That means
someone else needs to continue it -- music box folks!  The subject of
"identical" band organs sounding different brought up the same
observation about music boxes.

Why does one cylinder music box movement (assume that the movement is
on the workbench without the case) of identical dimensions and comb
teeth sound so much different than another?  Obviously, part of the
answer is the tempering of the comb, but given the time period (1800 -
1890), the techniques of tempering were not sophisticated in regards to
control and metallurgical testing, so variation would seem to be
expected.

However, then consider why one maker's boxes sound more similar to each
other through a wide range of dimensions than to different makers in
the same dimensions.  Were the comb makers' skills so sophisticated
that a particular comb maker could duplicate his sound accurately each
time?  Or is there an additional element involved?

Then we can add another discussion into the fray.  We have heard quite
a bit about the techniques of arranging piano rolls.  Let's start a
discussion of arranging music box cylinders!  At least piano rolls are
flat.  Older music box cylinders were marked and drilled "on the round"
-- and this was long before decent lighting and power drill presses.

Who were these "arrangers" and how were the arrangements done?  I have
several cards with music box arrangements, including the tuning scales.
Nowhere on any of these cards is there any indication of a grid or
diagram.  Were the people that marked the cylinders so skilled that
they were able to mark the cylinders directly from the sheet music
arrangement?  We know of composers who were able to do entire orchestral
scores from inside their mind (Mozart).

Unfortunately, almost all of our knowledge about early music boxes is
speculative, because there is such a lack of contemporary written
material available about the manufacturing of cylinder music boxes.
This fact alone makes a case for all of us who have the questions or
the answers to write, for if we don't write down what we know about our
hobby, what information will there be available for the generations to
come.

The Internet is a marvelous instrument for immediate answers.  However,
it is unknown if the materials on MMD (for instance) will be available
for research for some later generation.  Therefore, it is still
important that we write for publication in our various organization
magazines.

There are many in this group who have contributions to make in their
particular area of expertise, but there are too few articles actually
sent to the various editors for publication.  We all tend to be members
of the "gonna" tribe -- "I'm gonna send one in!"  Let 1998 be the year.

OK, music box folks -- your turn!

Beatrice Robertson

 [ I peered at the multi-turn brass cylinder/barrel of a musical clock
 [ and saw that a shallow helix was cut into the surface of the
 [ cylinder.  I presume this was to help guide the craftsman who
 [ inserted the pins.  The sound of the bells was not very good;
 [ I wonder if they need re-tuning after 150 years?  -- Robbie