It is relatively easy to designate a tempo for single tune rolls on
manufacture, i.e., to play the roll at the speed deemed fit for that
tune, then figure out the feet per minute and stamp the 'Tempo' number
on the roll; if an extra long roll, change as necessary.

There must have been some industry standard speeds for nickelodeon
rolls as tempo changes per tune and multi-tune roll were impractical
to adjust on the orchestrion.  I have asked around and playing the
rolls "O" type, myself, the take-up spool runs approximately at Tempo
73 to Tempo 75 (7.3 to 7.5 feet per minute).

When I make an "O" roll, one of the most difficult aspects is getting
the speed correct for a particular tune to add after the last tune,
say, from #7 to #8.  By then about 140 feet of paper has accumulated.
As a guide, I have made a graph of time versus feet of paper, so I will
then know the speed of paper (0.0035" thick) at that point.  At distance
140 feet the speed is approximately 8 feet/minute.

To start, say, tune #8, looking at the sheet music, figure out the
number of bars completed in one minute, then 8 feet x 12 inches/foot
equals 96 inches.  Divide this by the number of bars to obtain the
length of each bar (in inches) of the music.  A time scale then is made
to that length, e.g., 2-1/2".  As all the perforating is done bar by
bar, adding drums, triangle, lock or cancel commands, etc., each bar
is numbered so it is made easy to locate later on.  Even after all
these checks are made I do not always get it right.

To produce a production run from my "master" another master can be made
and it is possible to change the speeds of the tunes at the factory to
suit.  I have had this done but takes time and money, as each time it
has to be mailed then I have to verify that it is correct or not.

Steve Bentley - SB "O" Rolls
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 [ If standards concerning paper speed were ever published, it
 [ seems the industry ignored them.  That's why most coin-operated
 [ nickelodeons, especially those that play style "A" and "G" rolls,
 [ were fitted or retro-fitted with mechanisms to permit the operator
 [ to select the proper paper speed.  The only well-known format that
 [ doesn't require fiddling with the paper speed apparently is that
 [ of the rolls played by Wurlitzer orchestrions and band organs.
 [ The speed of all the tunes is almost always appropriate when the
 [ instrument plays original music rolls perforated by the Wurlitzer
 [ factory.  -- Robbie