I would like to comment on the terms used to describe certain
percussion instruments in "Xylophone Problem" in 040525 MMDigest:

 * A _xylophone_ is a percussion instrument made of wood bars.  Its
big brother, generally voiced much deeper, is called a _marimba._

 * A _glockenspiel_ is a similar type instrument made of metal bars.
In mechanical musical instruments, they are often referred to as
"chimes" or "bells" also.

Many American coin pianos used either one of these, and in rare
instances, both.  The mechanisms to play them could have either been
single stroke or repeating.  Personally, I don't care for the sound
of a repeating glockenspiel.  To me, it sounds like a door bell store
full of elementary school kids on a field trip, pressing every button
they can find.

On the other hand, I prefer a repeating xylophone over a single stroke,
but this also depends on the roll I'm listening to.  For instance,
I couldn't imagine getting any thrill out of listening to a Link 2-E
with a single stroke xylophone.  The repeating action combined with
excellent musical arrangements is what makes the Link interesting.

I feel the same way about a Seeburg E with Xylophone.  But then again,
I could name certain individuals that think a repeating xylophone
coming on during a tune sounds like a train running over a box car load
of 2x4s at 4 A.M., or to put it in his exact words during a listening,
"Well, that thing sure comes on like a train wreck, doesn't it?"
Well, to each his own.

The band organs which include these percussion instruments almost
always used a single-stroke glockenspiel with metal beaters.  A rare
exception is the Wurlitzer 180 Band Organ which used a repeating
system.  A true band organ with a xylophone would be a rare instance.

Hope to see many of you in Orlando at MBSI.

John D. Rutoskey - Automatic Music Machines
Baltimore, Maryland

 [ All the instruments like the xylophone and glockenspiel can be
 [ equipped with resonators (tubes, gourds, cavities) but the name
 [ remains the same.  The original German word is now firmly
 [ entrenched in English so glockenspiel is not capitalized (unless
 [ it's the name of an organ stop).  -- Robbie