In response to Fred Wilharm's inquiry about his barrel piano
["Kevin Prowse Barrel Piano in Florida", 010808 MMDigest]:

1.  First things first.  Make sure that this piano has been tuned to
scale.  Barrel machines (organs or pianos) are not chromatic.  I once
serviced a barrel piano that had just been tuned by a piano tuner and
he tuned it chromatically.  Most of the time the notes that the strings
are supposed to be tuned to are marked just above each tuning pin.
Sometimes the notes are marked on the sides of the piano action parts.
It doesn't take much to have on old barrel machine sound terrible, so
think about tuning it.

2.  As far as lining up the barrel, first make sure the pins on the
piano action are not dragging on the barrel.  There should be clearance
of the piano action pins from every portion of the wood as the barrel
revolves.

3.  Next, find the pin on the barrel that is furthest to the left and
change to a song that shifts the barrel all the way to the left.  At
this point as the barrel rotates adjust the key frame so that this pin
on the barrel hits your lowest piano note (or lowest arm if you have
percussion).  Then find a pin to the extreme right of the barrel and
shift the barrel all the way to the right.  This pin should then hit
the highest note on your piano.  This information will give an
understanding of how to start setting up your barrel

Paul Manganaro