A transcribed 66-key B.A.B. roll will play all of the melody and harmony
notes. However a principal difference between the B.A.B. roll and its
Wurlitzer counterpart is that the B.A.B. system uses multiplexing within
the organ to control both the triangle and the bass drum by the same roll
perforation, with the snare drum perforation controlling the castanets
also. When loud registers are on, the multiplexer switches the bass drum
and snare drum into play. When the loud registers are off, the triangle
and castanets play instead of the drums.
Play-Rite adaptations of B.A.B. 66-key music to the 165 scale did not
reckon with this complication, so that only the drums play on converted
rolls, never the triangle or castanets. This makes for less variety in
the music. One must hear a 66-key B.A.B. roll on the organ on which it
was intended to be played. Unfortunately, only a few organs in the U.S.
use original B.A.B. rolls. The two carousels to use the 66-key B.A.B.
roll are located in Hampton, Va. and the Coney Island B&B Carousell.
Another organ,the Bruder "Elite" Apollo, can be found in the Doring
Collection, located in Arcadia, Calif.
I hope the preceding has clarified the capabilities of a transcribed
B.A.B. roll on the Wurlitzer 165 scale.
George Karpel
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