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Determination of consumer demand by the American Music Conference

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Determination of consumer demand by the American Music Conference

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Content DETERMINATION OF CONSUMER DEMAND BY THE AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE by Marvin Ralph Solomon A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (Economics) June 1956 UMI Number: EP44746 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Dissertation Publishing UMI EP44746 Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 U N IVE R SITY O F S O U TH E R N C A LIFO R N IA G R A D U A T E S C H O O L U N IV E R S IT Y P A R K L O S A N G E L E S 7 * s t sosi This thesis, w ritte n by llM m ..il/L LE ji.,S .Q LD M D jS ....................... under the guidance o f h.2.s..Faculty Committee, and approved by a ll its members, has been pre sented to and accepted by the F a cu lty of the Graduate School, in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements fo r the degree of .....................m 3JIEE..Q£..MIS................. ...............................................................................J-owjis-end ....................................., ~ Assistant Dean D ate ............... Faculty Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION....................... 1 Purpose of the Study............... 1 Importance of the Consumer in the Music Industry ............... 2 The American Music Conference and Music Associations ................... 4 Membership ........................... 5 Other Associations ................... 5 American Accordionists Association . 6 American Guild of Banjoists, Mandolinists and C-uitarists ... 6 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ........... 6 BMI Canada Limited............. 6 Broadcast Music, Incorporated ... 6 Fine Hardwoods Association ......... 7 Music Merchants Association of O h i o ..................... 7 Music Publishers* Association of the United States ............... 7 National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers ......... 7 CHAPTER F I PAGE National Association of Music Merchants, Inc......................................7 National Association of Musical Merchandise Manufacturers, Inc........... 7 National Association of Musical Merchandise Wholesalers, Inc.............8 National Association of Piano Tuners ... 8 National Piano Manufacturers Association of America..................8 National Piano Travelers Association ... 8 Sesac, Inc.................................8 Songwriters1 Protective Association. . .. 9 Trade Practice Committee of the Musical Instrument and Accessories Industry................................9 History of Musical Instruments................ 9 Modern Music .........................11 The Violin Family.........................11 The Flute.................................12 The Clarinet...............................13 The Trumpet and the Cornet................ l*f Percussion Instruments.....................15 Brief Description of Sources Used.............16 CHAPTER PAGE | II. MUSIC MARKET SURVEYS: RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY.............................. 18 Surveys for the American Music Conference by A. S. Bennett and Philip Lesly Company. . 19 Meeting with Key Leaders of the Industry . . 19 Survey by A. S. Bennett................... 19 How the Survey was Made................... 20 Designing the Questionnaire............. 21 Sample selection....................... 2h- Field work............................. 25 Presentation of findings ................. 28 Statistical Methodology................... 29 Size of Market Interviewed............... 30 Limitations of the A. S. Bennett Survey. . . 30 Philip Lesly Survey for the American Music Conference....................... 31 j Survey for the Italian Trade Commission. . . . 32 j How the Study was Made .............. 33 j Letters to manufacturers............... 33 1 Results of the indirect contact..........3^ Testing for a questionnaire............. 35 j Results of Main Questions................. 35 ' Origin of instruments................... 35 Seasonal variations of instrument sales. . 30 CHAPTER PAGE~] Advertising media used by music industry . 39 ! Centers for interviewing..................39 Pure random sampling.................... Questions asked at interviews..............^1 Mail questionnaire........................b2 Statement of Methodology and Limitations . . *+2 Results of Musical Survey....................*+3 III. SURVEY RESULTS . .-..............................^5 Results of A. S. Bennett Survey................^5 The Family and its Members..................* * 6 Musical status of the American families. . V7 Music interests in geographic areas. ... 52 Musical status of the individual member of the family.................... 52 Musical instruments in the home. ..... 6b Attitudes of the family as a group .... 67 Influences Upon an Individual Playing an Instrument..............................79 Former Players of Musical Instruments. ... 89 The Problems of Adult Non-Players............ 91 Parents of Child Non-Players .............. 93 Music Interests of the American Consumer . . 99 Results of Philip Lesly Survey...............10U- Reason for Supplement Survey...............10*+ CHAPTER PAGE Sales of Musical Instruments...............105 Piano Sales and Piano Players...............105 Musical Instrument Players ................ 105 Players in organizations ................ 107 Players increase between 19^+7-1953 .... 107 Why Surveys and Their Results are Important. 108 IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS SALES AND IMPORTS........................... 109 Musical Instrument Sales . .................. 110 Woodwind and Brass Instruments ............ Ill Woodwind instrument sales.................Ill Brass instrument sales...................112 Percussion Instrument Sales................113 Stringed Instrument Sales..................113 Piano Sales ..................... 116 Leading American Manufacturers............117 Pianos................................. 118 Organs................................. 118 Other leading instrument manufacturers and wholesalers....................... 118 Distribution of Sales in Musical Industry. . . 122 Distribution of Musical Instruments......... 122 School Sales ............................. 123 Sales Prices............................. 125 CHAPTER PAGE Stringed instrument prices .............. 125 Woodwind and brass instrument prices . . . 125 Mark-up on instruments.............. 126 Imports and Duties on Foreign Instruments. . 127 Forecast of the Musical Industry .........128 Evaluation of the Music Industry by Executives........................... 128 Room for Future Domestic Production........130 V. CONCLUSION..................................... 131 Importance of Supplement Surveys............132 Industry Research......................... .. 133 Important Survey Results .................... 133 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................... 135 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Family Income Cross Tabulated by Family Musical Instrument Players............. 23 II. Family Musical Instrument Players........ . ^9 III. Nativity of Family Musical Instrument Players.................................50 IV. Occupation of Head of Family Cross Tabulated With Family Musical Instrument Players. . 51 V. City Size Cross Tabulated by Family Musical Instrument Players...................... 53 VI. Geographic;Area Cross Tabulated by Family Musical Instrument Players..............5*+ VII. Percentage of Female Adult Musical Instrument Players in Different Age Groups...................................55 VIII. Percentage of Male Adult Musical Instrument Players in Different Age Groups....... 57 IX. Percentage of Male Children Musical Instrument Players in Different Age Groups............................... 56 X. Percentage of Female Children Musical Instrument Players in Different Age Groups........................... 59 TABLE PAGE XI. Opportunity of Learning to Play an Instrument Cross Tabulated by Nativity. . 60 XII. Age at Which Children Should Start Taking Music Lessons............................6l XIII. Different Types of Music Enjoyed Cross Tabulated by Nativity .................. 63 XIV. Age of Instruments Owned in the Home. ... 65 XV. Instruments Owned Cross Tabulated With the Occupation of Head of Family.......... 66 XVI. Instruments Owned Cross Tabulated With Family Income ......................... 68 XVII. Instruments Owned Cross Tabulated With Nativity........................... 69 XVIII. Radios Owned by Families Cross Tabulated With Musical Instruments Owned by Families.................... 71 XIX. Records Owned by Families Cross Tabulated With Musical Instruments Owned by Families..............................72 XX. Outside Activities That Have Increased Interest in Music of Members of the Family Cross Tabulated With City Size . . 7^ TABLE PAGE XXI. Attitude Toward Class Instruction in Schools Cross Tabulated by Income Groups................................. 76 XXII. Attitude Toward Class Instruction in Schools Cross Tabulated by Nativity ... 77 XXIII. Attitude Toward Class Instruction in Schools Cross Tabulated by Occupation of Head of the Family.................. 78 XXIV. Stimulus That First Influenced Interest in Musical Instruments.................. 80 XXV. Reason for Learning to Play a Musical Instrument............................. 8l XXVI. Member of Family Most Important in Influencing an Instrument Player........ 82 XXVII. Percentage of Present Players and the Groups They Belong to ......... ..... 83 XXVIII. Length of Time Spent on Music Instrument Lessons Cross Tabulated by Instrument Now Playing........................... 85 XXIX. Number of Teachers Studied Under.......... 86 XXX. Age of Present Instrument Player Cross Tabulated by Place of Instruction .... 87 XXXI. Instrument Now Played Cross Tabulated by Place of Instruction.................... 88 TABLE XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. XL. XLI. PAGE Encouragement Needed by Former Instrument Players Cross Tabulated by Instruments Formerly Used............................90 Adult Non-Players Interested in Evening Classes if Available......................92 Consideration of Starting Children on Musical Instrument Lessons Cross Tabulated by Sex of Child Non-Players . . 9*+ Age of Child Non-Player Cross Tabulated by Consideration of Starting Children on Musical Instrument Lessons .......... 95 Why Parents Want Their Child to Play a Musical Instrument Cross Tabulated by Age of Child..........................97 Child* s Opinion of Taking Musical Instrument Lessons........................98 Family Income Cross Tabulated by Types of Music Preferred.......................101 City Size Cross Tabulated by Types of Music Preferred.........................102 Geographic Section Cross Tabulated by Types of Music Preferred.................103 Production Figures of Musical Instruments per Family from 18^+9 to 195°.............106 TABLE XLII. Category of Purchasers and Percentages of Total Sales of Musical Instruments Bought for Educational and Vocational Purposes........................... LIST OF FIGURES I , FIGURE PAGE 1. Distribution of Sample by Geographic : Section............... ...................... 26 i , 2. Origin of Fretted String Instruments Sold i 1 on the American Market........................ 37 i : 3. Seasonal Variations in the Musical Industry . . 38 i Advertising Media used by U. S. Musical Industry......... *+0 i 1 5. Percentage of Violins Sold by American 1 ! Wholesalers in the United States............. 115 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Since the end of the Second World War the sales of the United States musical industry have more than tripled.^ This expansion has been the result of the greatest pros perity period that the world has ever witnessed. Forecasts for 1956 through I960 look to be even higher than the peak j year established in 1955. This great expansion period has affected not only the musical industry, but the entire nation’s economy. J The following report will show how one industry— j l the musical industry--has met this expansion. It will j demonstrate how the industry has studied the consumer and J given him a choice in its efforts to build a larger, more I progressive, and music-conscious America. i I. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY | The purpose of this report is to give a thorough analysis of two studies made by the American Music Confer- : i ence and one study by the Italian Trade Commission. Con- 1 -^Estimation by the American Music Conference 2 sumer buying habits will be discussed in detail since they are the most important subject in this report. i i The study will also contain (1) detailed sales and I ' production statistics of musical instruments in the united j States: (2) size and present status of the industry; (3) ! financing by both the retailers and the consumers; and (4) ; the connection between the consumer and the industry. I ! II. IMPORTANCE OF THE CONSUMER IN THE ! MUSIC INDUSTRY I i S Most individuals do not realize that the sales i of musical instruments is big business. An article, printed in the School Musician showed the results of a survey conducted on the music interests of the American consumer. The article contained certain facts and data which showed the number of persons estimated to be playing p various tyoes of musical instruments: Piano..................... 19,300,000 Guitar .......................... 4,000,000 Organ . ........................ £25,000 Violin and other strings ........ 3,000,000 Accordion ....................... 1,500,000 2 John C. Kendel, "Facts on Musical Activity in America," School Musician, {April, 1955], p. 10. 3 1 Harmonica . . .............. 400,000 j Ukulele ........... 1,600,000 i Brass instruments .......... 2,000,000 Woodwinds .......... 2,050,000 Others .................... 175,000 Humber of musical instruments owned in the United States: In 1936 17,100,000 In 1953 26,650,000 an increase of better than fifty per cent. This is com pared to the number of people playing musical instruments in the United States: In 1936 14,300,000 In 1953 25,750,000 an increase of better than seventy-five per cent. Industry has shown by its ever-increasing expendi ture upon economic and marketing research that the determi-j i nation of consumer behavior is one of the most important j factors in good business. This trend in research has ! j brought forth many associations and organizations that de~ 1 i velop new techniques to test the consumerTs buying habits. , i One of these organizations is the American Music Conference! j which is the research institute for the entire musical in- 1 dustry. This conference is one of the many organizations that present industry and supply data to their respective j firms about any new developments that have taken place in | the consumer and industrial market. At the beginning of the second stage of the study, Mr. T. M. McCarty, president of the National Association.' of Musical Manufacturers, was asked questions concerning the status of the musical industry and its consumer rela tions. His answer was brief and to the point, "To fully cover all the phases to which you refer, it would require someone to write a book or history of the musical indus try.” Since there are no books and very few statistics written on the subject of consumer demand on musical in struments, this report will contain for the most part first-hand information from personal, mail, and telephone interviews, plus the results of the surveys previously mentioned. III. THE AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE AND MUSIC ASSOCIATIONS The American Music Conference was organized in | i Chicago in the spring of 1947. During the first three months of its existence, it was called The Music Institute of America, but on September 11, 1947, the name was changed. I The purpose of this organization is: j i To emphasize the public benefit of the greater use j of music for educational, recreational and cultural purposes; to foster interest in the extension of music education in schools and in the improvement of stand ards of music instruction and administration; To in crease appreciation of the value of music in the home, in character building agencies for youth, the church, and as an avocation; To encourage participation by adults in instrumental and choral music; To further -- interest in and attendance at the performances of pro- j fessional musicians, and artists in the cultural and entertainment fields; To give recognition to distinguished service, personal effort and leadership in the development of musical activities; toward these ends, to acquire and dissemi nate information, undertake studies and surveys, con duct or sponsor publications, publicity and advertising, musical projects, competitions and festivals, establish, 1 cooperate with, or give support to other agencies for the development and advancement of music and musical activities; To secure, hold and distribute funds and real or personal property for carrying out of the aforesaid purposes.3 i Membership i There are no direct memberships, for the American Music Conference is supported by the sponsoring music in dustry trade associations. The American Music Conference is the public service voice of the music industry; it repre- 1 sents the industry in its non-commercial relations with the i public, designed to bring more music to more Americans. Other Associations ! Many associations, representing almost every phase ! | of the music industry, have contributed time, money and ; i l ^ knowledge to bring the industry up to date in economic re- j search. The following associations represent the music | 3i, ] ie description of the American Music Conference is ' based upon 1. T. U. Mize (ed.), Who is Who in Music. J (Illinois: Sterling Publishing Co., 195X17 p. 4^3.• , industry: i American Accordionists Association. Organized in i 1939, the AAA’s main purpose is to raise the standards of I i teaching throughout the accordion field; standardize bass i notation; establish acceptance of the accordion among music j educators; and promote prestige for the accordion. i I American Guild of Banjoists, Madolinists and Gui- 1 tarists* This association’s main purpose is: "To promote, advance and maintain the artistic, musical and mercantile ^ interests of the instruments from which the name of the ; organization is derived. . • American Society of Composers, Authors and Pub lishers. A national organization devoted to maintaining the highest standars in piano service. BMI Canada Limited. This organization is the Canadian counterpart of Broadcast Music, Inc.; it is a j ,major Canadian music publishing firm actively engaged in j encouraging and furthering the work of native composers. Broadcast Music, Inc. This organization was organ- ! i !ized in 1940 to encourage and further the work of native 4Ibid., p. 450. composers in the United States, Fine Hardwoods Association, Organized to promote the use of and appreciation for fine hardwoods on a con- i sumer level, and to assist the manufacturers and finishers of products with data on sources and uses. I \ Music Merchants Association of Ohio. Founded in : 1911 and composed of retail music merchants, jobbers, and ! ' manufacturers from Ohio and neighboring states. : frfasic Publishers * Association of the United States. ■ Organized in 1895; a trade association devoted to the in terests of the standard music publishing industry. National Association of Band Instrument Manufac- i turers. Organized for the promotion of band music and the e elevation of business standards in the industry. ) i National Association of Music Merchants, Inc. This j organization is composed of music merchants throughout the | i United States and possessions, Canada, and scattered rep resentatives in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. Manufacturers, jobbers, and firms supplying goods and ser vices to music stores are affiliated as Commercial Members. I National Association of Musical Merchandise Manu- J ’ facturers, Inc. This organization represents the .interests] 8| of manufacturers of all types of musical instruments, musi- I 1 cal merchandise and accessories, other than pianos, organs, and band instruments. National Association of Musical Merchandise Whole- j Inc. This organization declares, ''We invite in- i ■ i quiries from manufacturers for reliable sources of distri bution of their products*” Rexford C. Hyre is the Execu- ' tive Secretary, with headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. * National Association of Piano Tuners. Organized to | maintain the highest technical and professional standards I s ' ' in the practice of piano services. National Piano Manufacturers Association of America, j The membership of this organization is composed of piano i and piano supply manufacturers of the United States, and was < organized to promote the interests of pianoforte manufac ture and the furtherance of interest in the piano. j i National Piano Travelers Association. The member ship of this organization is composed of piano and organ : travelers and representatives of the piano and organ supply « manufacturers. ' Sesac, Inc. One of the oldest and largest music I j performing rights organizations, representing 280 pub- Ushers* catalogs* I I Songwriters* Protective Association. An association ; comprised of composers and authors of musical works de- I voted to improvement of copyright law, publishers* agree- i ments, et cetera. i i Trade Practice Commit tee of the Musical Instrument | and Accessories Industry. Created under the trade practice rules as promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission, for the purpose of securing voluntary compliance with such l i rules* i ! IV. HISTORY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Music has sometimes been called "the art and science of the formal organization of tone,”5 yet the raw material , of music is sound and instruments are selected for their ■ pitch, volume, and quality. Many theories as to the origin and nature of the history of music have been proposed by i musicologists, but evidence shows that it goes back even ; farther than the.Grecian cultures.^ It was once stated, "It takes three to make music: 1 i "Music," The Universal Standard Encyclopaedia (New York: Unicorn Publishers, Inc., l955),XVl7 5954. 1 6Ibid., p. 5954. one to create, one to perform, and one to appreciate. And who can tell which is the most important.” The statement is complete when speaking of vocal music, but for instru mental music one factor is lacking, that is, one is needed to build the instrument. Few musical instruments were really invented; most just grew. One man would improve one part of an instrument, a second would improve something else, and still another would add a third refinement. As time passed, man’s know ledge of science increased. He experimented, improved, and enriched the possibilities and facilities for expressing himself. Mechanical improvements were as readily adopted as were imported ideas. "In old Greece they added strings j to the lyre, and in the Middle Ages Europe welcomed the j orient*s ideas of necks and sound-boxes and multiple \ strings.”^ Thus, the development of music and musical in struments brought forth new creative sound. ] i These improvements were not always accepted, and j each change in shape or bore meant that a player must form i 7 Robert Haven Schauffler, "The Creative Listener,” Musical Amateur; cited by Elizabeth Rider Montgomery, The Story' Behind Musical Instruments (New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1553), p. vu. 8 Beatrice Edgerly, From the Hunter *s Bow (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1942), p. xia. new habits. Sometimes it required learning to play all lover again; hence, many years would pass before an improve- i ,ment was accepted as standard, and by this time the details ! I of its origin had been lost. i 'Modern Music ' Modern music, as known today, began sometime after the middle of the sixteenth century in Florence, Italy*^ It is believed that the first operas ever written origi nated in Italy at this time. The musical instruments used i I in these operas were a miscellaneous lot, consisting of ilutes, lyres, viols, and wind instruments and, occasionally, ,a harpsichord.*0 As music became more developed, the re quirement for more instruments became acute and therefore i instruments advanced with improvements of the written ' * score* The Violin Family I According* to the historians, the ancestry of the violin was found in the early cultural systems of three countries, namely, Arabia, Wales, and Greece. One his- l torian stated that ”the first true violin was made by o ! - H. W. Schwartz, The Story of Musical Instruments , (New York: Doubleday, Doran and Co., 1938)'," p. Si* ' 10Ibid., p. 21. ■____ Caspar Tief fenbruker. . . in the Alps mountains of Italian 1 Tyrol about 1MS7. . . .” ^ Possibly the finest of all , violins were made by Andrea Amati, his son Geronimo, and I Geronimo1s son Niecolo. Today, Niccolo1s pupil, Antonia I Stradivarius, is known as one of the greatest violin makers i of all time. Many of these old instruments are worth thou- I sands of dollars, and some of them have been sold for as 1 high as Fifty Thousand Dollars. The best violins made today ' are duplicates of those made by the old masters. "Seventy i t I parts are used, the most important being the straight- j grained spruce top and the curly maple back."-*-2 For many years, the instruments of the violin family had been used by ! troubadours of Europe and it was not until 1565 that the j | violin was used in an orchestra, according to this historian. Through the centuries the violin family has become 1 more and more popular, and has continually grown until now j • it is the nucleus around which the entire orchestra is I , built. j : 1 , The Flute ! "The flute is the oldest wind instrument known. .”^-3 i:LIbid.. p. 1+0. 12Ibid.. p. ¥+. ^•3ibid.. p. 57. i 1 The origin of the flute is lost with the passing of time5 the first mention of this instrument in history was found in the writings of the Egyptians. The six stages of the development of the flute are: (l) the Egyptian pipes of Pan as used over five thousand years ago; (2) the ancient bone flute which was made from the shin bone of the deer; (3) the Chinese cane flute; ( * f ) the boxwood flute with four Keys used around 1750; (5) the Boehm-system flute; l*f and (6) the modern Boehm-system piccolo. The flute is the most agile of the wind instruments, being surpassed only by the violin in technical capabili ties. It is an instrument which is extremely light in I action and of immoderate speed in response. The Clarinet Unlike the oboe and the flute, the historians could not find any sign of the early development of the clarinet until the Greeks came into power. The clarinet family of j today consists of the soprano, the alto and the bass. There are two types of clarinets, the wood clarinets and i 1 the metal clarinets. Both are used today and professional < 1 musicians are continually debating which is the better. : Since its inception the clarinet has changed sur prisingly very little. The greatest change may be the ^ Ibid.« p. 58. Ik- , development of the reeds and the change in the material ! used for these reeds, from wood to bamhoo. Also of impor- ’ , tance in the growth of the clarinet is the development of i i jkeys and the changing of tones which occurred with each newi I key added. | The Trumpet and the Cornet * . . . . . j The trumpet originated with the cultures of the ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Like its I cousins, no one really knows who first invented the trum- I pet. The cornet is a cross of the trumpet and the bugle. : The two were differentiated in past centuries by their iusage. The trumpet was a sign of aristocracy. It was: ”. . . the badge of royalty and could be used only by royal- , ty or in royalty’s service.'*-^ The cornet on the other ■ hand was used by commoners, and that may be the reason for I i ! i its original name, Mbastard~bore cornet”, i By the fifteenth century the cornet had gained j ' enough popularity to push the trumpet into second place, J and ”By the sixteenth century the cornet had all but put ) : the trumpet into obscurity.”-^ it is surprising to note l5Ibid., p. 152. 16Ibid.. p. 155. 15 I here that while'the commonerrs cornet was overpowering the I royal instrument, the trumpet, people throughout the world , began rising against dictators, kings, and cruel lords. i I The people’s resentment against the slavery type of life i they had been living not only reflected their sentiments toward their king, but also his instrument. ; Today the cornet still holds the edge on the trumpet ; in popularity, but the trumpet has steadily closed the gap between them. The cornet is the principle soprano of the j brass section of all large bands. A recent recommendation by the American Bandmaster Association stated that the cornet should be used in the band instead of the trumpet.^ Percussion Instruments The use of the drum is far-reaching. While a musi- | cian in a symphony orchestra is playing a kettle drum, an ! ' ! : African native may be using a similar drum to sent signals to one of his neighboring tribes. The history of the drum ! ; is unknown. It was used by the Moors and Crusaders, but j its origin was lost with time. i : I The outgrowth of the percussion family as known to- j i day (wood blocks, cymbals, triangle, gong, chimes, bells, | i . etc.), dates back to ancient times. The only change in > - * - 7 Ibid., p. 183. j 1 6 ] these instruments which has taken place during the passing !of centuries is the development of mass production. The i l ■only great difference in the percussion instruments of to- i ,day and those of the past is the change in tone, quality jand market price. ■ Y. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SOURCES USED I t t ! At present there is a great demand on the music in dustry. What has caused this demand and how is a forecast Imade on an industry so broad in nature? These forecasts !and surveys directed at the consumer and the industry are a ! relatively new science and many people wonder how studies I ,of a few thousand people can reflect the attitudes and be- .havior of a nation of over 150 million people. Chapter^ 2 ] 1 : land 3 will give a description, the results, and the limita tions of the work done by the American Music Conference and the Italian Trade Commission in the field of consumer demand jand industrial behavior of/on the music industry. ; ' t The data gathered for this reporkwere derived from ; various sources. Most is primary data from personal inter- i |views with the executives and owners of music firms. The secondary data used is the result of surveys furnished by marketing agencies and music groups. ! i | There are three surveys mentioned in detail in this 17 report. Two are consumer studies made for the American Music Conference by the A. S, Bennett Associates, and the Philip Lesly Company. The other is a survey of the indus try by the Italian Trade Commission. A complete and more extensive description of sources interviews, and methodology can be found in Chapter II. Since this report deals with research, the writer believes that an entire chapter should be devoted to an explanation of how the surveys were made. For years economists have been trying to trace con sumer behavior. Industry wants to know the consumer*s re action, his buying habits and purchasing power. The demand for this information by executives has continually grown. Thus, with economic and marketing research becoming so im portant in our economy, this writer believes the following pages should be interesting and of value to the readers of this report. CHAPTER II MUSIC MARKET SURVEYS: RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY Business has changed, and along with this transfor mation there has been an alteration of the tools used by business. This alteration has come about because of the t I need for newer and better tools to satisfy the growing industries. One of these tools is research; economic and marketing research. This chapter describes the technolo gical research methods and their results as used by A. S. Bennett Associates and the Philip Lesly Company for the American Music Conference, and the methods used by the Italian Trade Commission in its survey on the music indus- i try. The reason for including the latter survey is that i the American Music Conference did not include any informa- j tion on its own industry. In order for this report to givej [ a description of the music industry a recent survey was j needed and the Italian Trade Commission’s survey met this requirement. 1 The following pages will give a detailed description^ of methodology and the results of some of the more impor tant findings. This is done in order to give the reader a ! j chance to picture the survey work in action rather than to : i show it in a separate and distant connection. 19 | I. SURVEYS FOR THE AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE BY A. S. EBNNETT AND PHILIP LESLY COMPANY | i ! It was apparent to the trustees of the American ! Musie Conference that before deciding what steps to take | and in what directions they should go after their informa- ! tion, a fact-finding survey should be conducted. Dr. Albert jHaring, and A. S. Bennett Associates conducted the study which followed. The study was a cross section of the ; American family and its interests, attitudes, experiences, . possessions, desires and ambitions with regard to partici- ; pation in music and music activity. i Meeting with Key Leaders of the Industry ( In order to outline the objectives of the survey and to obtain a clear definition of the problem a series of . conferences was scheduled with key leaders among various firms and organizations throughout the music industry, re- i i presenting music dealers, wholesalers, and piano manufac- ! i turers. These conferences developed the framework from j i which the questionnaire was ultimately evolved. Survey by A. S. Bennett j f t i - In April, 19J +8J the results of the survey by the I A. S. Bennett Associates were published. The survey, on a j 20 ; purely sample basis, was made by the A. S. Bennett Associ- 1 ates for the American Music Conference. It was decided to use the principle of pure random sampling, which gives, . . every item in the universe ... an equal chance of being selected in the sample. "-1 - The survey covered if, 537 j families (15,566 persons) in cities, towns and rural 1 ■ areas. The findings were used to guide the industry in its ! advertising and promotion campaigns. i j How the Survey was Made I . . i | Among the many details involved in the administra- i tion of this survey, four operations were basics2 1. The design of the questionnaire. This showed the primary instruments by means of which information was secured. 2. The selection of a true cross section of American families to insure proper repre sentation of all elements of the population. 3. The actual gathering of answers to the questions by competent, carefully super- ! vised and controlled field staff. Presentation of findings; the organization and interpretation of replies so as to provide an accurate, valid, clear, and meaningful summary of the attitudes and opinions of the group surveyed. •^-Lyndon 0. Brown, Marketing and Distribution Research. (New Yorks The Ronald Press Company, 191 +9) ? P» **60 2A. S. Bennett Associates, National Survey of Public Interest in Music» (New Yorks A. S. Bennett Associates, March 1, 19 W , "p. 2if. Designing the Questionnaire. In the preliminary con1 ferences with the different music leaders in the United States many questions were proposed. These conferences brought forth a vast area of inquiry. When all this mate rial was digested there had to be a formal organization and consolidation so that the practical limits of the survey would not exceed that amount which would be successfully handled in one questionnaire. Therefore the American Music Conference had to test and retest the questionnaire. This eliminated a number of the suggested questions in favor of those which the con ference felt would produce the necessary information of the broadest significance and widest benefit. In designing this questionnaire the conference be lieved that each question must meet four requirements: (1) that of precise meaning; (2) lack of ambiguity; (g) freedom from bias; and (*f) universally similar connotation. They decided that each question must be clearly under standable to people in every walk of life, and most impor- I tant, it must produce reliable answers. Thus many weeks ' I were spent in working and reworking the questions, and in testing them repeatedly among average people. When a final draft was made which satisfied all the important requirements of the study, it was sent into the field for 22 final pretesting in ten cities across the United States. ;"Following the national pretest, further revisions were imade, and the final questionnaire was submitted to Dr. Haring and the Board of Trustees for approval. Actual fielc. jwork was accomplished during December, 19^7 and January, i 291^3. m3 . A sample of the results of the questionnaire follows. ;Table I is■ based on the answers of questions one and two, family musical status, cross tabulated with question M+, 'family income groups. The result of this is that the eeo- 'nomie status of the family is a strong factor in the deter- ! mination of consumer demand in the music industry. Forty-five per cent of the families with annual in comes of $5,000 or more have players of musical instruments.; Furthermore, 3 out of b of the first group of families have either present or former players, while fewer than * t 0 per cent of the latter group families are so classified. The ^significance of these findings is aptly stated by A. S. !Bennett Associates, "... musical education has been limited to those who can afford lessons, (except in a very ,few cities where it has been made a part of the regular school curriculum).1 1 And they continue that, "Hence a ^Bennett, loc. cit. I TABLE I I i ; FAMILY INCOME CROSS TABULATED BY i FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS I Family Total .Instrument Plavers 15000 yr. & ever #3000 $>2000 tc to 115000 iS3000 under $2000 Number answering (4278) (640) (1103) (1359) (1176) Families with present players 29 .8% 45. 3* 33.2% 28.7 * 19. 8* 'Families with former players 2 5.9% 2g.g% 29.6% 21.1% 18.8% Families with no players 44.3% 25.9% 37.2% k3.6% 61.4% TOTAL JLOOfo 100% 100% 100% 100% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 1948), p. 30, (Mimeographed.) ’ 2b I i musical education has always been considered a luxury to I which only those of better than average means could aspire.1 1 Thus the combined results of three questions can i 1 show from what income group most musical instrument players 1 1 i i come. As previously stated, almost fifty per cent of jpresent players of musical instruments belong to the annual 'income group of $5>000 or more. Results like this are ex- I itremely*important to an industry where the convictions were i in existence, but there was no data to back the beliefs. i ! Sample selection. The type of survey and the type ;of sample needed required the need for authentic and de pendable findings based upon an accurate cross section of -American families. These families would have to come from different regions, different income groups, and different j age groups. j ! i "The objectives involved suggested a "precision1 1 j b i sample, rather than the more conventional "Quota" method." : A definition of "precision" sample as used by the American j iMusic Conference is, ". . . a method for designating speci- ! fie families within certain areas or city blocks which have \ :been selected by purely unbiased and random means." j - . Bennett, _op. cit., p. 26. 'Bennett, _op. cit., p. 2*+-26. ■ 25 One drawback to this type of sampling is the cost and the 'element of time it takes to produce an accurate sample. This method was believed by the conference to give a more truly representative sample for a study of this character. : "The urban sample was drawn from forty carefully j selected cities and towns according to the actual distri- p 'bution of United States families (19^6 Bureau of the Census i ‘estimates) by geographic section and city size." The rural sample differed in that thirty-four coun ities, instead of forty as used in the city sample, were i selected according to the various criteria that would give a proper representative,sample of the districts. This included farm and non-farm areas. Within each of the cities I towns, and rural counties certain families were selected and designated by uniform, "unbiased" means. The follow ing figure illustrates the distribution of the survey re turns of the actual distribution or the per cent of fami lies interviewed by the research firm in comparison to the total American families now living in the various districts Field work. The most important work of the survey is the interviewing. Wo matter how competently and how ■thoroughly the questionnaire is designed, nor how complete a sample is selected, the survey is only as good as the EAST MIDWEST SOUTH WEST FIGURE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF SAMPLE BY GEOGRAPHIC SECTION SURVEY FINDINGS *U. S. 194S Jan. 1, 1947 Sales Management: "Survey of buying Power,n Ma y 10, 1947. SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, National Survey of Public Interest in Music,(Chicago: 194#J, P* 25, (Mimeographed.) interviewing itself. The research firm stated that, "the ! J interviewers for this survey were selected on the basis ‘of their experience and competence from a large, trained .field force.”6 i i A. S. Bennett and associates felt that the entire |operation of interviewing should be supervised and con- itrolled from their headquarters. The researchers, A. S. ■Bennett and Associates, believed that supervised interview ers had to be employed to insure high standards of I dependability. A good example of the instructions given to persons i gathering data for a research survey that is used by many l research organizations follows: 1. How to make the approach. 2. How to avoid refusals. 3. How to hold the respondents interest. 4. Information to be obtained from side conversation. 5. Accuracy in reporting. 6. How to define economic levels. 7. how to get the proper cross section in the sampling. 3. organizing the interviewing operation, maps, travel, assistants, etc. 9. Special interviewing situations and problems. The above nine suggestions used in training inter- 'viewees are used in varying degrees by most of the organi sations which conduct marketing research. ^Bennett, erg. cit. . p. 26. At frequent intervals completed questionnaires were | received by those making the survey, mainly the supervisors ' and checked for correct and accurate handling. In the larger cities there were resident supervisors who main- I I tained daily contact with the crew members, and reviewed each day1s work with them so that no mistakes would develop : Presentation of findings. The questionnaire replies 7 were punched onto Hollerity cards and mechanically tabu- : lated by International Business Machines Company, under the : direction of Dr. Paul Erdos, authority on research tabula- ; ting. "The preparation of the questionnaires for machine tabulation, editing and coding - was accomplished with especially careful attention to detail and accuracy." The survey went on to say, "Decisions on all interpretation of answers were under the direct supervision of executives. Classifications of musical interests were reviewed by Mr. Ennis Davis, Editor, Music Journal." Along with the reviewing there were numerous checks for a verification of the figures. l 7 A type of card used for feeding data to tabulating machines. The card has holes punched into it which repre- isent data to be calculated by the machine. Statistical Methodology i The research firm decided that one point should be | brought out in this survey. They said that nearly H-0 per I j cent of American families lived in rural areas, making this I market an important factor in a study of this nature. | Since rural interviews are more costly than urban, a deci- 8 sion had to be made here. They decided to sample rural ; America with half as many interviews as would be repre- . i sented by the actual portion of rural families, and thus jexpand the rural results obtained two times. This had un- |doubtedly occurred in the past when other researchers have i interviewed the rural section of the United States, but leaves some question as to the accuracy of the results. In j ,order to have accurate results in this survey, a represen tative sample of the entire population must be made. If, j 'for example, one hundred people were thought to be a re- j presentative sample, then a few more than one hundred should be interviewed. Certainly half the number required would >not give accurate results. When the researchers in this survey interviewed a ) representative sample of the cities, their results were ac- i |curate, but when they cut the rural interviews in half and ,---------g--------- The distance between the homes, and the transporta tion available in the rural areas explains the higher costs. then doubled the results, they left doubt in this writer’s i s eyes as to the accuracy of the rural area results, I I Size of Market Interviewed I . - ( The size of the sample was 2,750 urban families, and | 750 rural families, or 3>500 interviews in all. This was [ the agreed-upon size of the sample prior to the field opera-j 1 tions. The "Actual quota realization exceeded the objec tive in both urban and rural areas. The excess, however, was proportionately greater in urban than in rural areas. . . ." Thus the urban interviewers overreached their goal by 8.5 per cent, whereas rural workers produced a slighter margin of 3.6 per cent, ! ! The researchers decided that for optimum allocation | 11. . . retention of all urban interviews rather than exclu-j i ding the relative excess would contribute more to the ! overall accuracy of the survey results." ! Limitations of the A. S. Bennett Survey i I As in any survey there are certain limitations to ; these findings which should not be overlooked in using them. This statement should be tacked onto any survey made, even one in which there is 100 per cent sampling. The reasons may vary, but are always connected with all ; surveys. I ...J 31 j In the case of this survey, the consumer was the basis of the interviewing. The results attained showed what the consumer did, what he is doing, and what he ex pects to do. Accuracy in present consumer functions is fair; accuracy in future consumer buying habits is rather doubtful. Therefore, the reader should be careful when reading the results of future forecasting and future pre dictions, because the further the forecast is made into the future, the greater the limitations. Figures based on small groups of replies should be regarded with caution. For example, . . The study was designed to give a representative picture of major geo graphical areas. In no case is the sample of any one city adequate for a dependable analysis of that city alone.” In general, the percentages in this survey by the American Music Conference based on sub-groups of fewer than fifty replies would, be of questionable significance. Therefore, j any figures that appeared in this survey with those re- . suits were clearly shown and represented by an asterisk. I Philip Lesly Survey for the American Music Conference As stated above, in 194$ the A. ,S. Bennett Assoc- I iates conducted a survey on musical instruments for the American Music Conference. By 1955, most of the results 32 H of this survey were out of date. Therefore, the American Music Conference employed the Philip Lesly Company to sup plement the previous survey, using the same procedure, methodology and technique as did the A, S. Bennett Associates. Since the sources,' methods, and procedures of the 1955 survey were almost identical to the 194&, there is no necessity to repeat the methodology used. The results of this supplement will follow in the next chapter. II. SURVEY FOR THE ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION A survey was made recently by the Italian Trade Com mission of the retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers in % connection with interested musical manufacturers in Italy.^1 Interviews with the consumer did not represent a large enough sample of the entire nation, and therefore these interviews were used only in developing the questionnaire. > I The survey was conducted to find the per cent of instruments imported, the production methods and sales of American-made musical instruments, and the various sales techniques used by the American music Industry. The following pages will I describe the methods used in making this survey and some of ! ^Marvin" R, Solomon, "Survey of the United States Musical Industry" (prepared for the Italian Trade Commis sion, Los Angeles, California, 1955). • the results obtained, I i | How the Study was Made t The first step in this investigation was to check i i any material already written on musical instruments which | I ! would be pertinent to the study. Letters were written to ! many of the large manufacturers of musical instruments to i j see if these firms could furnish any important information. Letterc to manufacturers. The following letter, in f I part, was sent to the above-mentioned manufacturers asking 1 for a description of the industry. I do not wish information on any particular firm, but I would like to have an overall picture of the production of the industry — ! quantity of each type of instrument manufac tured by the industry, or the dollar value of the production of each type of instrument, ! or both. In other words, I am not looking j for any information which might be confiden tial in any manner. The Department of Commerce, I was told, might publish such figures, but upon checking with 1 ; them, I found that their latest figures ap- j ! peared in the "Census of Manufacturers, 19*+7•1 1 That would make the figures much too old for ; my purpose. ■ i I ( This letter was written and sent out by the Italian | I Trade Commission to find out certain facts about the indus-, try and to see what results could be obtained from the i manufacturers by mail. Results of the Indirect contact. Results were alarming. Not one of the answering companies offered any suggestions on where to locate information, nor gave any idea how the industry was broken down in production and sales. A statement from one company did say that the Department of Commerce did not offer a breakdown of musi cal instrument production. The company said: The Department of Commerce does not include a breakdown of musical instruments in its census report and the industry does not operate a clearing house of such information on its own. We doubt very much that the individual com panies would care to report individually to you. Another letter showed resentment of the fact that a survey was being made on the subject so dear to their hearts, musical instruments: We regret our inability to be of service to you in this particular instance either in supplying the information or advising you where the statistics could be found. We do not supply such information to any office or department and we do not know of any other manufacturer supplying this information. Since both of the previously mentioned methods of securing basic data were unsuccessful, it was decided to use both personal interviews and mail questionnaires. 35 j Testing for a questionnaire. A questionnaire was made up and sent to many of the music firms. This ques tionnaire was tested and retested in the Southern California I area. In certain instances questions had to be dropped and i I i new ones placed on the questionnaire. It was decided that j for best results the questionnaire should be accompanied | with a self-addressed envelope and a three-cent stamp. j Along with the mail questionnaire the personal interview questionnaire had to be tested. This took a great deal of time and had to be accurate, as greater importance was to be placed on the personal Interviews. Results of Main Questions j Three main questions were asked, dealing with: j (1) the origin of the instrument (what country manufacturedi it); (2) the amount of seasonal variation of sales; and J (3) the advertising program. Other questions in the j questionnaire were cross-checks against the three mentioned.' Origin of instruments. The results of question (2) i of the mail questionnaire showed the principal instrument j i | sold by jobbers and wholesalers, and from whom they were j purchased. The percentage of foreign instruments sold on ! the American market was determined from the answers to this! 36 question. For example, Figure 2 shows the origin of fretted string instruments sold by American firms in 1955. During the personal interviews with the fretted string instrument manufacturers in the United States, the inter viewees estimated a much lower total American production than the results of the mail questionnaire revealed. The mail questionnaire showed that 81.1 per cent of all stringed instruments sold in the United States was pro duced by American manufacturers. Sweden manufactured 11.5 pei1 cent of the fretted string instruments sold in this market, while Japan produced 6 per cent. The other one per cent is spread among the many foreign countries. Seasonal variations of instrument sales. The results of the questionnaire showed a seasonal trend in musical instrument sales. Both the wholesalers and the retailers showed the fall months, September, October and November, as their best season for sales of music instru ments . During these three months over 50 per cent of the year's total sales were made. The summer months proved to be the slack period, with only 5 to 8 per cent of total instruments being sold. The recommendation in this sur vey on the sale of music instruments was to place more emphasis on summer sales in order to stabilize the sea sonal trend of buying by the consumer. Figure 3 shows UNITED STATES 81*5# Japan / Sweden 11.5# " * x / \ \ FIGURE 2 ORIGIN OF FRETTED STRING INSTRUMENTS SOLD ON THE AMERICAN MARKET (BASED ON DATA FROM "SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES MUSICAL INDUSTRY" (PREPARED FOR THE ITAL IAN TRADE COMMISSION, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 1955), p .66.) 100$ 90$ 80$ 70$ 60$ 50$ bo $ 30$ 20$ 10$ 0$ SEEING SUMMER FALL WINTER FIGURE 3 SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN THE MUSICAL INDUSTRY (BASED ON DATA FROM THE "SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES MUSICAL INDUSTRY" (PREEARED.. FOR THE ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 1955) , P- 67. *WH-«'holesale, ttT-Retail WH* RT* WH RT WH RT WH RT the variation of sales throughout the four seasons of the year. Advertising media used by music industry. The results of question (MO in the mail questionnaire showed the advertising media used by the music industry. The total in Figure exceeds 100 per cent because many of the firms listed more than one media used. The results given by the wholesalers and retailers varied greatly. Over 80 per cent of the retailers used newspapers to advertise their products, while only approximately 15 per cent of the wholesalers used the same media. Maga zines accounted for over 70 per cent of the wholesaler’s advertising. Television and radio have been increasing as a means of advertising for both the retail and whole sale firms. Centers for interviewing. The mail questionnaire was sent out to many of the firms throughout the United States, while the personal interviews were made of a select group on a random basis. The three large music centers in the United States are New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and were chosen as the cities for personal interviews. These centers were chosen because of the vast number of manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE RADIO TELEVISION BILLBOARDS OTHER RT WH RT WH RT WH RT WH RT WH RT WH 1— T 1 10 20 30 **0 50 60 70 80 90 100 FIGURE k ADVERTISING MEDIA USED BY U, S. MUSICAL INDUSTRY (BASED OF'DATA FROM THE "SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES MUSICAL INDUSTRY" (PREPARED. FOR..' THE ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 1955), p. 67.) bl1 , located in the respective areas. The other areas were I covered by mail questionnaire. Pure random sampling. Because of the limited time : ' for the personal interviews, the method employed was pure ! ' random sampling. All the names of the manufacturers first, I then the wholesalers, and last a representative number of ; retailers, in the cities selected for interviews, were i : placed in a bowl. In each category different numbers of names were chosen and in some cases there was 100 per cent i coverage because of the small number of firms located in ; certain areas. For example, the accordion manufacturers i in Los Angeles could all be visited because of the small j number of establishments. This type of sample was used , because the area being sampled was not too large and not too difficult to classify the individual units within each , . area. I I Questions asked at interviews. The questions asked j I at the interviews were the same as those listed on the mail I questionnaire, with the addition of other important ques- i tions and a list of topics which were to be discussed if i I time permitted. The list of topics follows: j ! I 1. Terms, down payment, and maximum length of payments for instruments. k-2 2. What, if any, are the differences between the terms granted by banks, and those by finance companies? 3. The popular models for the different types of instruments. . 4-. Solicitors as a means of advertising. 5. What are the consumer relations of the companies, and what public relations policies do they have? 6. What part of the original purchase price is allowed on trade-ins? 7. To what degree do resales of trade-in instruments cut in on the sale of new instruments? Mail questionnaire. The mail questionnaire was used as a check against the personal interviews. Thus valid and accurate results could be obtained and backed by two sources. The questionnaire contained twelve questions and had a return of 56 per cent, which was extremely good con sidering the number of questions involved. Attached to the questionnaire was an introductory letter which contained an explanation of the questionnaire and asked the reader for his invaluable knowledge of this subject. The letter had j the Italian Trade Commissioner’s letterhead on it for possible greater returns. Statement of Methodology and Limitations At the beginning of this study there was a definite problem. Certain conclusions could easily have been drawn without an investigation, but the statements would have had little data to back them. Wien one is reading a survey he is usually quick to point out time and time again facts which were left out and were important to the reader. This is expected, be cause each person has his own ideas as to what facts were important, and therefore these were given. Thus some facts which may be of importance to the reader could have been by-passed, but this was only because the writer did not believe the survey required them. The investigator of the survey tried to show an overall industrial picture with facts, data and sources used, to give the reader any information deemed important, j Since this study tries to cover such a broad and extensive ' industry, instead of some facet of the business world, it should be stated again that many limitations do exist, and the reader should be careful to recognize these limita- ti ons • Results of Musical Survey The results of the survey on musical instruments were very satisfactory. From the large amount of data received many recommendations were given. Some of the ¥f results showed that technical changes were needed, some •advised minor adjustments. The conclusion states that in i j the United States, "There is a shortage of all large brass |instruments, such as the French horn. . . ." and that i j"even during periods of prosperity the manufacturing of j this type of instrument is not considered to be profitable i j by American musical firms due to the large amount of labor j involved."^ Other results showed the upsurge in demand for I iforeign violins, violas, cellos and brasses. The relations ’with the American importers were not as satisfactory as the ! foreign firm believed. Another recommendation was that I packaging of merchandise was poor. These are just a few ,of the facts developed from the survey. : The next chapter will give the results of the A. S. ‘Bennett survey and the Philip Lesly survey, as they deal primarily with consumer behavior in the American musical instrument market. ^Survey of Musical Instruments, _op. cit., p. 80. CHAPTER III i SURVEY RESULTS j | This chapter is based upon the results of the sur- j I veys mentioned in Chapter II. The first is a consumer survey made by A. S. Bennett Associates for the American Music Conference. The second is a survey on the music industry by the Italian Trade Commission. The third sur vey is the result of a consumer study by the Philip Lesly I i Company made for the American Music Conference. A detailed study of the results of the A. S. Bennett survey follows. I. RESULTS OF A. S. BENNETT SURVEY I The A. S. Bennett Associates described their survey as 11. . .a survey of a "Miniature America." It was conducted by "precision sampling" methods which give every element of the population representation in proportion to ! its size."'1 ' The result of the Bennett study is broken down into six sections which: (1) deal primarily with the family and its members; (2) attitudes of present players of musical instruments; (3) attitudes of former players of -- . . . I - * - A . S. Bennett Associates, National Survey of Public Interest in Music (New York: A. S. Bennett Associates, March 1, 19^), p. 2. musical instruments 5 (*+) attitudes of adult non-players of 1 musical instruments? (5) attitudes of parents regarding child non-players; and (6) further family attitudes and | income data. , As mentioned before, the Bennett survey is a con- I sumer study. The results of all the interviews with the I consumer were gathered and built into tables. These tables represent the opinions of the people of the United States. The tables on the following pages show the attitudes and i desires of these people. In order for a survey to be ac- : curate, these tables are necessary and therefore they have 1 been included within this chapter. The Family and Its Members ■ The result of the survey dealing with the family and its members is divided into four parts. This section j I presents a picture of the musical influence upon the familyi I The first part is a description of the musical status of j the American family, while the second part talks about the status of the individual member of this family. The third , part discusses the ownership of musical instruments, and the last section shows the musical interests and attitudes of the family as a group. ■ ‘ ^7~ Musical status of the American families. “This i survey uncovers, for the first time, information on the i :musical status of American families with respect to playing 2 musical instruments.” Results showed that approximately I thirty per cent of the families have one or more members who now play a musical instrument, while twenty-five per cent of the families have one or more former players. The other forty-five per cent of the families have no member who has ever.played a musical instrument. The surveyors I |clarified this by saying that some families contained both |present and former players, and these families were clas- I ,sified as present players. i , This section of the survey answered the question, I"To what extent do size of family, economic group, occupa tion, nativity and other characteristics affect participa- ! q tion in instrumental music?"J The surveyors answered this question by a cross-tabulation of the musical status by 'these characteristics. Table II shows that size of the family is a direct factor in the tendency to play musical instruments. Among two-person families, eighteen per cent have a present player of an instrument as compared with a four-person n “ 11 1 ' 6 1 ' ' Bennett, op. cit.« p. 10. 3Ibid.. p. 12* ~ ' ~ k s ] i \ family, which has thirty-eight per cent present players. ; However, the percentage of former players decreases with the size of the family. This showed the music merchants i J and teachers "... that families with children represent 4 I i the best prospects for music education and musical instru- h ; ments." This was a fact known by the entire industry, but never before backed by accurate data. Other results showed that the proportion of native white Americans who play musical instruments is higher than I for natives of foreign parentage, foreign born or colored 5 families. Occupation tends to be a factor in music par ticipation. Families in the executive, professional and “White collar* 1 groups are inclined to be more active in music than the families in the salaried or farm occupation 6 ; groups. L l Bennett, op. cit., p. 10. ^Table III, p. 50. 6Table IT, p. 51 TABLE II FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS Instrument Pie yprs Total One Two Three Five Four or more Number answering (^537) ( 2 8 0 ) (1178) (1079) (961) : (1039) Families with present players 2 9 . 8 $ 9-7$ 1 8 .0 $ 3 0 .1 $ 37 .6$ ^-1.0$ Families with former players 2.5-5% 2 9 .6 $ 2 9 . 0$ 28.^-$ 2b .6% ' 1 8 . 6 $ 1 Families with no players kb.7% 6 0 .7 $ 53-0$ bl.5% 3 7 .8 $ b0.b% 1 1 Total 1 0 0 .0$ 1 0 0 .0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 1 0 0 .0 $ 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey j of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: p. , 30, ; (Mimeographed.) TABLE III NATIVITY OF FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS Nativity Total Families with present players Families with former players Families with no players Number answering (*+537) (1351) (1159) (2027) Native White Americans (American Parents) 7^.5# 79.1# 76.8# 70.3# White Americans (Foreign Parents) 12.0# 11. If l^f.6# 11.1# Foreign Whites 6.8% 5.3# 5.5# 8.h% Colored 6.7% *+•5# 3.1# 10.2f Total io'o. Of ioo.of 100.of 100.Of SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey ■of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 35> ! .(Mimeographed.) ; 51 TABLE IV OCCUPATION OF HEAD OF FAMILY CROSS TABULATED WITH FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS I Families Families Families ! Occupation with present with former with no _____________ Total___players______players players 1 Numher answering ' Executive 1 Educator i i White Collar i Service Trades . Wage Earner , Farmer 1 Student ■ Armed Forces Retired Relief, Unemployed, etc. No answer (*+537) (135D 18.1% 26.9$ 1 .b% 2,3% 10,9% 12.1% 16.8 % 13.852 25.0$ 22.6% 17.0% 16.5% .6% .8% .1% . 1% 8.3% b.1% (1159) (2027) 20.*+% 10.8% 1.752 .552 13.0% 9.0% 15.352 19.8% 2b. 2% 27.1% 12.6% 19.9% .5% .6% .3% .1% 10.6% 9.7% 1. 1. 0% • n-70 1. 6% . 8% "Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% ~ 100.0%~ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19* + 8), p. 36, (Mime ogr aphed.) 52 Music interests in geographic areas. This section revealed the fact that rural America is more musically 7 inclined than urban America. That is, the larger cities ’are not as musically inclined (instrument players) as the !rural areas. Twenty-four per cent of the families in ! cities over half a million population have musical members, !whereas 32.3 per cent of the rural families are so classi fied. "Furthermore, urbanites are more inclined to start |and then give up their music than are rural families." 1 An interesting result of the geographic sections surveyed shows that the West Coast leads the other districts 8 > in the proportion of families having musical participants. Musical status of the individual members of the family. The researchers divided this section into male and female players and former players. In this country, 13.7 j per cent of the female adults now play a musical instrument | ,and an additional 21.5 per cent formerly played an instru- j 1 | ;ment, making 35*2 per cent, or a little over one-third, who ' 1 Q 1 ■either now play or have played instruments. ; 1 I ■ 1 ?Table V, p. 53. ! § Table VI, p. 5*f. 9Table VII. p. 55- j i TABLE ¥ I I 1 CITY SIZE CROSS TABULATED BY FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS Instrument ■ • • • - Flavors 5o0,o0o Total & over to 100,000 2,500 to 500.000 100,000 Rural & farm Number answering (*+537) (941) (619) (1423) (1554) 'Families with present players 29.8$ 24.0$ 30 *5% 30.5$ 32.3$ Families with ! former players 2-5*5% 2 6.5$ 28.1$ 31.0$ 18.9$ Families with 1 no players 44.7$ 1*9 *5% 4l .4$ 38 .4$ 48.8 $ : Total 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S:. Bennett Associates, "National Survey | of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 1948), p. 39? j (Mimeographed.) ' TABLE VI GEOGRAPHIC AREA CROSS TABULATED BY FAMILY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS Instrument Plavers Total East Mid- West South West 1 Number answering (4537) (1183) (14-55) (1316) (583) Families with present players 29.8$ 28.9$ 29.4$ 29.2$ 34.0$ Families with former players 2.5.5% 2.7.5% 30.6$ 17.5JS 27.2% Families with no players 44.7$ 43.6$ 40.0$ 53.3^ 38.8$ Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, “National Survey of Public Interest in Music,n (Chicago: 1948), p. 44, (Mimeographed.) TABLE VII PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE ADULT MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS Fema le Players Total 20-29 80-89 If0-*f9 50-59 60 & Over Number answering (5^02) (1139) (1302) (1063) (883) (1015) Now play 13.7# 16.8$ 15.5# 17.7# 10.9# 6.5+# Formerly played 21.5# 20.8 $ 21.8$ 20.0# 2*+. 3# 21.3$ Never played but plan to start .6# .8$ 1.2# .5# Never played and do not plan to start 6^.2# 61.6$ 61.5# 61. 8# 6*f.8$ 72.3$ Total 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0# 100.0# 100.0# SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 39? (Mimeographed.) 56j The above figures are in contrast with the percen tage of male adults who now play or have played a musical instrument. The survey showed that S A per cent of male adults now play an instrument, and 12.5 per cent formerly played. There appears to be a steady increase in the per -I A cent of male participants with each younger age bracket. • ’ Participation by children is highest in the 10 to i 1^ year age bracket, 3&.9 Per cent of the girls and 22.7 per cent of the boys in this age group being present play- 11 ers of musical instruments." There is an apparent tendency for boys to drop their music after the age of fifteen to a greater extent than do girls. Children under nine represent a small proportion of the music players. 1 "This is in spite of the belief on the part of 95 per cent j of American families . . . that every child should have an opportunity to find out if he is interested in learning’ to play an instrument" - 1 - 2, and the further finding that j " ' . . . the average adult believes that children should start taking lessons at the age of seven years." ^3 10Table VIII. p. 57. Table IX. . p. 58, and Table X, p. 59. 12Table XI, p. 60. 13Table XII. p. 6l. i I TABLE ¥111 I I PERCENTAGE OF MALE ADULT MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS Male P .3 a 3r<j»T\jjs. _ Total 20-29 30-39 . . IfO-^9 50-59 ...60.'< £ •' Over Number answer ing - (W859) ( 1 0 1 1 ) (120*4-) ( 1 0 3 6 ) (785) ( 8 2 3 ) Now play 8 M 1 3 .3 # 9 M o 7 .6 $ 5 M * f.l$ Formerly played 1 2 . 5$ 1 5 M 1 3 .3 % ll.*4-$ 10 .3 $ 10.9$ Never played but plan to start * . 9$ * .5$ * * Never played and do not plan to start 7 9 .1 $ 70 M 77 Mo 8 0 .5 $ 8 3 .8 $ 8 5 .0 $ Total H O O • O 0 • 0 0 H 1 0 0 .0 $ 1 0 0 . 0$ 0 • 0 0 H O • O O H , SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 39, (Mimeographed.) TABLE IX PERCENTAGE OF MALE CHILDREN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS Male Children Players... Total 9 Yrs. & under 10-1^ - 15-19 Number answering (2683) (l*t65) (621) (597) Now play 10.7$ 3.5% 22.7% 15.6$ Formerly played 5.1% * 7.2% lb.7% Never played but plan to start 33.6$ 1*9.3$ 22.b% 7.0% Never played and do not plan to start 50.6 % ^7.2$ k-7.7% 62.7% Total 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0% 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 38, (Mimeographed.) TABLE X PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE CHILDREN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS Female Children ■ PI sjrprs Total 9 Yrs. & under 10-15- 15-19 Number answering (2622) (1383) (662) (577) Now play 19.b% 5.6% 36 .9% 32 .b % Formerly played 5-.3 % * 5.6% 12.8% Never played but to start plan 3 5Mo 50.2% 27.3^ 9-7% Never played and plan to start do not bo. 9% bb.2% 30,2% b5.1% Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 195-8), p. 38? (Mimeographed.) 6 0 " j ! TABLE XI OPPORTUNITY OF LEARNING TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT CROSS TABULATED BY NATIVITY Nativity Number Answering Yes No No Oninion Total Native white American (3382) 96.1% .6% 3-3% 100.0% Native white American - Foreign Parentage (5^5) 95.8% 1.3% 2.9% 100.0% Foreign born (306) 89.2% 1.6% 9.2% 100.0% Colored (30b) 79.9% 1.3% 18.8% 100.0% (^537) 9b. 5% 00 • • b.7% 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, “National Survey of Public Interest in Music,“ (Chicago: 19^*8) > p. ; (Mimeographed.) NOTE: Question 37a of the A. S. Bennett question- ! naire was, "Do you think every child should have an oppor- j tunity to find out whether he is interested in learning to j play an instrument?" The results of this question are ; listed above. TABLE XIX AGE AT WHICH CHILDREN SHOULD START TAKING MUSIC LESSONS Total Number answering (^537) | H - years and under I 5 ' 6 ' 7 8 9 ! 10 II i .12 years and over » Don1t know, no answer 2« 7.1# 18. 8# 17.1# 17*9#; 7 . 6 # j 12 . 2#j l*5#j b.Q % 11.0# ! Total 100. 0# SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^-8), p. 109, :(Mimeographed.) 62! At this point in the survey the results begin to back up many industry production figures. The study brought out that slightly more than seventy per cent of l*f the people playing musical instruments play the piano. As has been stated before, piano sales are more than half the total industrial sales. But this figure of seventy per cent included some people who played some other instrument in addition to the piano. The study divided this particular sample further. ”Using the total instru ments played (rather than the number of people who play) the piano represents sixty-three per cent of the instru ments played.1 1 ”Tn order to include as complete as possible a listing of musical instruments it was necessary to include some small numbers which, when reduced to a percentage, j are of questionable significance.” A. S. Bennett j Associates also stated that, ”Very small percentages j should be used with caution.” I i ! llfTable XIII. p. 63. 63 TABLE XIII DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSIC ENJOYED CROSS TABULATED BY NATIVITY Types | of Music • Enjoyed i Native White Total American Native White American- Foreign Parentage Foreign Born Colored .Number answering (^537) (3382) (5^5) (306) (30W i |None 3*^$ 3.1$ 3.5$ 7.5$ 5-3$ 'Church music, hymns 60.8$ 63.0$ ^5.3$ ^3.5$ 80.6$ Popular dance music 59.5$ 60.9$ 6*+.8$ b6 ^7.7$ Old favorites, folk tunes 56.2$ 5^.1$ 50.3$ 38.8$ Semi-classical, operettas ^2.3$ *+3.2$ kS.bfo *+1.8$ ' 21.0$ Cowboy or hillbilly music 37.^$ 3^.3$ 22.5$ 27.3$ Classical 33.3$ 33.3$ 37 M kb.1% 15.8$ Boogy-woogy, jive 18.9$ 18 M 13.8$ 12.^$ *f0.1$ All others 1.8$ ..1.8$ 1.1$ ..3.9$ 1.0$ Total * 311.8$ 320.0$ 302.7$ 272.^$ 277.6$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*t8), p. 111? | (Mimeographed.) ' * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because some .'people gave more than one answer. Musical instruments in the home. The researchers grouped musical instruments in the home into five "broad ! ;classifications for the purpose of cross-analysis. ! 1 1. . . cross tabulations indicate the characteristics jof families possessing these groups of instruments, : such as occupation, city size, income, and so on, "as well as the characteristics of the instruments themselves," | (such as age, used or new instrument, et cetera). Slightly less than fifty per cent of all instru ments owned were bought new, while 3^*5 per cent were ! used instruments. The rest of the instruments were gifts, irented, or borrowed. "Nearly 30 P®*1 cent of the pianos are estimated by • their owners to be over 30 years old and over 60 per cent 16 ■ are more than 20 years old." Yet nearly half of the wind and fretted string instruments are less than ten years 17 old. The white collar families are more inclined to own the piano, bowed string, and fretted string instruments. The wage earners and-farmers rate high in ownership of the - other instruments.^ •^Bennett, .op. cit.. p. I1 *. ^Table XIV. p. 65- 16Ibid.. p. 16. 18Table XV. p. 66. 65 TABLE XIV AGE OF INSTRUMENTS OWNED IN THE HOME i ! Instrumen^umber Under 5 Yrs 5-9 . Yrs. TO-19 Years 20-29 Years 30-39 Years TfO Yrs & ovei 1 • Total jpiano (1238) 5.7% 9.1$ 23.8$ 32.2$ 15.3$ 13.9$ 100.0$ l Bowed I String (265) 7.2$ 10.6$ 20.0$ 22.6$ 12.5$° 27.1$ 100.0$ iFretted j String (272) 28.8$ 21.3$ 2^.6$ 18.7$ 1.8 $ 100.0$ Wind in struments (235) 25.1$ 27.2$ 26 .*+$ 15.7$ 2.6$ 3.0$ 100.0$ All other (172) 29.1$ 17.h% 16.9$ 12.2$ 5.2$ 19.2$ 100.0$ Total (2182) 12.7$ 13.^ 23.2$ 26.0$ 11.1$ 13.6$ 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S- Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 112, (Mimeographed.) TABLE XV INSTRUMENTS OWNED CROSS TABULATED WITH THE OCCUPATION OF HEAD OF FAMILY Managerial & Total Professional Clerical & Sales Wage Earner : Relief & Farmer Retired Unemployed Number answering (1785) (5-71) (195) (665-) (330) (115) (10) Piano 75-5% 82.0# 81.5# 67.9# 69.5-# 86.9# * Bowed string 17.0# r . 21.2# 16.9# 15.0# 15.8# 13.0# * Fretted string 17.1# 10.8# 8.2# 23.6# 21.5# 7.0# * Wind instruments 15-.8# 16.1# 12.3# 15.1# 13.9# 13.0# - All others 11.7# . 9.3# . . _ . 8.7#. 11.2# 18.5# 8*7# _ Total 136.1#** 139.5-#** 127.6#** 132.8#** 139.1#** 128.6#* * * SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19W, p. 5-6, (Mimeographed.) * Total replies for this column less than 50. ** Total exceeds 100$ because some people gave more than one answer. 67 ] i < Piano ownership increases in proportion to total musical instruments owned with each higher economic group, ' while exactly the opposite is found for the fretted string 1 19 : group. ! Geographically, the piano shows a fairly uniform | distribution, while the bowed string instruments are j stronger in the east, as are the fretted strings in the i 1 south. Wind instruments are nearly equal in all districts ' 20 iexcept the south, where they are very weak. Attitudes of the family as a group. The surveyors asked the following question of the interviewees; "What 1 relationship exists between radio listening and record j playing and active participation of the family in instru- j 21 i mental music?" The answers received clearly indicated j 1 \ ' that the more radios a family owned, the more hours they j listened to their radios? and the more records they owned, \ ■ the more likely they are to own and play musical instru- ! I I ; ments• j i ! ^Table XVI, p. 68. . j 20Table XVII. p. 69. ' 2^-Bennett, _op. cit., p. 1J?. TABLE XVI INSTRUMENTS OWNED CROSS TABULATED WITH FAMILY INCOME Instrument Total Under $2,000 $2,000~- $2,999 ■ $3,ooo-$5,ooO' $^,999 & over Number answering (1690) (328) (52*0 (^59) (379) Piano 73-3# 66.8# 69.3$ 72.1# 86.0# Bowed string 16.7# 9.8# 16.8# 17.6# 21.b% Fretted string 17.1% 2^.7# 18.1# 15.9# 10.6# Wind instruments lb. 2% 11.6# 16.2# 15.2# 12 .*f# All others 11.6% 15.2# 13.2# 9.6# 9.0# Total 132.9%* 128.1#* 133.6#* 130.^#* 139 «^#: SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, ' ’ National Survey of Public Interest in Music,1 * (Chicago: 19*+8)» p. 50, 1 (Mimeographed.) 1 * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because ! some people gave more than one answer. ! TABLE XVII INSTRUMENTS OWNED CROSS TABULATED WITH NATIVITY Instrument Total Native White American Native White American- Foreign Foreign Percentage Born Colored Number answering ( 1 7 9 2 ) ( 1 3 9 6 ) ( 2 3 1 ) ( 1 0 3 ) ( 62) Piano 73-7% 7^.5% 7 0 . 1 $ 7 1 + . 8 $ 71 . 0$ Bowed string 16.8 $ 16 . 8$ 1 7 . 3 $ 18 . * + $ 12.9% Fretted string 16 . 8$ 1 7 . 9 $ 12 . 6$ 1 3 . 6 $ 12.9% Wind instruments lk.k-% lb.7% 1 ^ . 3 % 12 . 6$ 1 1 . 3 % All others 11 . 6$ 10 . 8$ 17.7% 6 . 8$ 12.9% Total 133. 3$ * 1 3 ^ . 7 $ * 132. 0$ * 126. 2$ * 121. 0$ = : A.’ y v v j—u SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey o r Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 1 9 * + 8 ) , P * ^ 5 j (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because some people gave more than one answer. The results of Table XVIII show that there is a : direct correlation between the ownership of radio receivers , and ownership of musical instruments. Only eighteen and i j one-half per cent of the non-radio homes and thirty-three I j per cent of the one-radio homes owned a musical instru- 22 ment. "Among those who listen often (more than thirty hours a week) to music on the radio, the ownership of i i I musical instruments is nearly twice as high as among those 23 . who listen a little to radio music." j Table XIX shows that the ownership of musical ; instruments is particularly high among families owning I . record players and is highest among those having the lar gest record collections. One of the main objectives of the American Music > Conference is to find out the ways of increasing interest 1 of the consumer in music, especially musical instruments. "Question 9 of the questionnaire (Table XX) was designed to bring out activities outside the home that increase ■ 2b interest in music." The results of this question were compiled and revealed two important factors. 22Table XVIII. p. 71. ^Bennett, jog. cit.. p. 15. pL Ibid.. p. 15. TABLE XVIII RADIOS OWNED BY FAMILIES CROSS TABULATED WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OWNED BY FAMILIES Number of Radios owned Number Answering Have Instrument Have No Instrument Total None (189) 18.5# 81.5# 100.0# 1 ( 2**5) 33.0# 67.0# 100.0# 2 (123*0 *5.5# 5*. 5# 100.0# 3 (*30) 55.6# **.*# 100.0# * (1*8) 55.*# **.6# 100.0# 5 & over (79) 79.7# 20.3# 100.0# Total (*525) 39.5# 60.5# 100.0# SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music, " (Chicago: 19*8), p. 51? (Mimeographed.) NOTE: Percentages shown in this table are based on the number of radios in the home, e.g., the figures run horizontally rather than vertically. 72 TABLE XIX RECORDS OWNED BY FAMILIES CROSS TABULATED WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OWNED BY FAMILIES Number of Rppnrcjq owned Number Answering Yes No Total None - 100.0$ 100.0$ 1-25 (372) 39*0$ 61.0$ 100.0$ 26 - 50 (¥+*+) 50.5$ *+9.5$ 100.0$ 51 - 75 (l6*f) 51.8$ *+8.2$ 100.0$ 76 -100 (2^5) 58 M *+1.6$ 100.0$ i d -150 till) 56.8$ ^3.2$ 100.0$ 151 -200 (106) *+9«l$ 50.9$ 100.0$ 201 -500 ( 6*0 65.6$ 100.0$ 501 & Over ( 17) 70.6$ 29.*+$ 100.0$ Total (1527) 50.2$ *+9.8$ 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest In Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 5*+? (Mimeographed.) NOTE: Percentages shown in this table are based on the number of records, e.g., the figures run horizontally rather than vertically. The first factor revealed was that the church is ! foremost as a stimulus in developing interest in music. i ; The second factor is that movies and musical shows and j i ' | schools are closely gathered in second place as stimula- j I i i ting interest in music and musical instruments. The results l - of this question vary greatly with the size of the city. In the larger cities the movie theaters and musical shows are first in importance, while in the smaller cities and , rural areas, the population depends greatly on the church | i I for its musical activity. This is a classic example of ; the difference between the city and rural areas in : 25 interests. i Those surveyed voted overwhelmingly in favor of . instruction on musical instruments in the schools. They ■ believed that courses should be given the same way as ! i others are, and two-thirds of the people said that they j (the courses) should be free. "Furthermore the opinions j did not appear to be biased by whether or not the family i had children of school age," thus, "indicating that Jkneri- | can families believe music should be a part of the educa- j 26 1 tional system for the good of the community. ..." \ ________ 2^Table X%. p. 26 I Bennett, ojg. cit.. p. 16. ; TABLE XX OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE INCREASED INTEREST IN MUSIC OF MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY CROSS TABULATED WITH CITY SIZE Outside Activities Total 500,000 100,000- & over 500.000 2,500 - 100.000 Rural - Farm & Non-Farm Number answering (*+537) (9*+l) (619) (l*+23) (155*+) None 30.6% 3b. 5% 29.7% 28.6% 30.5% Church 35.7% 18.7% 3b. 9% 39.1% bl.2% Movies and musical shows 29.7% 3b.8% 2 5.7% 29.6% 28.2% School 29.b% 20.1% 2 b.7% 30.8% 3 5.5% Orche s tr as, c on cer ts, opera 19.0% 21.7% 19.1% 27.b% 9.5% Dance bands, dancing 16.9% 18.9% 13.7% 15.7% 18.0% Civic activities 9.7% 7.2% 11.0% 12.9% 8.1% Club, fraternity 5.6% 3.9% 6.0% 7.3% b.h% All other . ..1.3% 2.1% ..1.9% . .. 1.9% .1% Total 177.9%* 161.9%* 166.7%* 193.3%* 177.5%* SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey i of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 57? (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds 100 per cent because some people gave more than one answer. The A. S. Bennett Associates brought out one very- important factor in their section on the attitude toward family participation in musical activity. It was, u. . . that those families who would benefit most by free school music . . . were slightly less favorable to the plan than the public as a whole.1 *^ The groups which were 28 less favorable to this plan were, (1) lower income groups; 29 (2) foreign born and colored families; and (3) the relief 30 and the unemployed. Also seventy-three per cent of those favoring the public school music instruction plan believed that lessons should be given during school hours, and eighty-five per cent thought credit should be given toward: graduation in these music courses. 27 Bennett, op. cit.. p. 16. 28 Table XXI. p. 76. 29 Table XXII. p. 77. 3°Table XXIII. P. 78. TABLE XXI ATTITUDE TOWARD CLASS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS CROSS TABULATED BY INCOME GROUPS Income Groups Number Answering Yes No No Opinion Total Under $2,000 (1176) 80.5% 5.b% lb.1% 100.0% 12,000 - 12,999 (1359) 86.9% b.9% 8.2% 100.0% $3,000 - $1 +,999 (1103) 87.8% h.8% 7.6% 100.0% $5,000 and over (6*+0) 86.8% 7.7% 5.5% 100.0% Total (^278) 85.8% 5 M o 9.3% 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 65? (Mime ogr aphe d.) 77 TABLE XXII ATTITUDE TOWARD CLASS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS CROSS TABULATED BY NATIVITY Nativitv Number Answering Yes No No Opinion Total Native White Americans (American Parents) (3382) 87.h% 5.3# 7.8% 100.0$ White Americans (Foreign Parents) (5*+5) 85.1# 6.8% 8.1% 100.0$ Foreign Whites (306) 7*+. 2$ 7.2% 18.6% 100.0$ Colored (30*0 6?.Q% 2.6% 29.6% 100.0$ Total (^537) 85.0% %h% 9.6% 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 63, (Mimeographed.) TABLE XXIII ATTITUDE TOWARD CLASS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS CROSS TABULATED BY OCCUPATION OF HEAD OF THE FAMILY Family .Occupation Number Answering Yes No No Opinion Total Managerial & Professional (883) 87.5# 6.6# 5.9# 100.0$ Clerical & Sales ( 523) 89.2$ 5 M 5 M 100.0$ Wage Earner (1905) 85-3# 5.0 # 9 Mo 100.0$ Farmer (772) 8b.1% 2.8 # 13.1# 100.0$ Retired (376) 76.6% 9.8% 13.6# 100.0$ Relief & Unemployed ( W 68.8 $ 10 ,b% 20.8 % 100.0$ Total (^507) 85.1# 5 M 9 M 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey i of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 61 * - , 1 (Mimeographed.) ! 79 Influences Upon an Individual Playing an Instrument "The desire to play a musical instrument usually 31 originates within the home. ..." most often through 32 the parents and relatives of the children. Outside influences seem to be the school teachers and bandmasters. The answers of nearly seventy-five per cent of those inter viewed to the question about the . . real reason behind your learning to play an instrument" was, the pleasure and 33 enjoyment the individual hoped to get out of music. The mother is the most influential factor within the immediate 3 * 4 - family. Table XXVII shows that one out of six persons who now play an instrument plays in an orchestra. Throughout this report the reader will notice that the surveyors re iterate the fact that the great majority of people who go in for music do so because they derive fun, enjoyment, and personal satisfaction from playing an instrument. This, in fact, became one of the most important parts in the new promotional campaign put on by the music industry. 31 Bennett, _ o j d . cit., p. 17. 32Table XXIV, p. 80. 33Table XXV, p. 81. 3Sable XXVI, p. 82. TABLE XXIV STIMULUS THAT FIRST INFLUENCED INTEREST IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Total Number answering (18^7) A member of the family or relative 68.5$ A school teacher or bandmaster 12.8% A private music teacher 8.3% Own desire 8.2% A friend or neighbor 6.8% A movie, radio, or concert artist 1 Mo A music dealer .6% Miscellaneous .6% Don1t know, no answer ^+•0% Total 111.2% * — ! 1 5 i _ ! S l ! ■ ' - ■ ' . . . J ' . B _ ■ ! ; SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey i of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^), p. 68, . (Mimeographed.) : * Total exceeds 100 per cent because some people gave more than one answer. TABLE XXV REASON FOR LEARNING TO PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Total Number answering (18^+7) Personal pleasure or enjoyment 73.7$ To satisfy parents 30.6$ Educational or cultural benefits 10.1$ Social asset 9.9$ Desire to become a professional musician 8.2$ Musical family 2.b% Talent 1.8 $ To get in school band 1.1$ Miscellaneous 2.5$ Don't know, no answer .9$ Total 1^1.2$ * SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8)j p. 70, (Mimeogr aphed.) * Total exceeds 100 per cent because some people gave more than one answer. " 82l TABLE XXVI MEMBER OF FAMILY MOST IMPORTANT IN INFLUENCING AN INSTRUMENT PLAYER Total Number answering (I8V7) The mother of the player 51.8$ The player himself 31.5# The father of the player 19.3# Other relative 8 ,h% Don't know, no answer 2.3# Total . 113.3# * SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8)? p. 71? (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds 100 per cent because some people gave more than one answer. TABLE XXVII PERCENTAGE OF PRESENT PLAYERS AND THE GROUPS THEY BELONG TO .... ........... ..- . . . - i , ... ■«'— - ....1 .......: ........ ■ ■ Total Number answer ing (309) School k-7.6% Church 17.8# Private 15.8# Professional 12.0# Club or fraternity 3.9# Miscellaneous ^.9# Total 102.0# * SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey , of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*f8), p. 72, 1 (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds 100 per cent because some I people gave more than one answer. I 8*f Another result on the questions about present players is that thirty per cent are not taking lessons. An interesting point here is that fifty-eight per cent of those who play fretted string instruments are self- taught compared with only sixteen per cent for all other 35 instruments combined. The following is the results of Tables XXIX and XXX: Half of those who have taken lessons studied under only one teacher, the other half having studied under two or more teachers........ Nearly 80$ studied under a private teacher only, 10$ took music lessons as a part of their school work, 10$ took from both pri vate and school teachers. • • • • • Whereas only 3-5$ of those who have studied piano did so at school, over 50$ of those who play wind instruments took school music in structions. Most private lessons, 68$, were given at the teacher’s home.30 The researchers stated they believed that more em phasis should be placed upon school music instruction and that better instructors should be placed at the head of 37 these departments. 3• ' ’ Table XXVIII. p. 85. 36Table XXIX. p. 86. ^Bennett, _op. cit.. p. 18. TABLE XXVIII LENGTH OF TIME SPENT ON MUSIC INSTRUMENT LESSONS CROSS TABULATED BY INSTRUMENT NOW PLAYING t Time Spent Wind on Instrument Bowed Fretted Instru- All Lessons Total Piano String String ments Others i i Number answer ing* (176*0 (1226) (107) (I6*f) (167) (123) Never 16.0# 9.8# 16.8# 58.1# *t.2# ^3*1# 6 months or less 7.9# 6.0# *f.7# 12.2# 15.6# 12.2# 7 months to 1 year 11.8# 12.9# 5.6# 9.1# l*f.^# *f»9# 2 years 13.5% 12.2# 10.3# l*f.O# 22.6# 15.^# 3 years 10.9# 11.8# 3.7# 1.2# 15.6# 12.2# * f years 7 Mo 8.3# 10.3# 2.*f# 6.6# 3.3# 5 years 9.1# 10.6# 15.0# .6# 6.0# 2.*f# 6 - 9 years 11.6# l*f.5# 15.9# 1.2# 5 M 1.6# 10-l*f years 7.3# 8.3# 11.2# 1.2# 6.0# 3.3# 15-19 years 2.5# 3.3# .9# - 1.2# — 20 years & over 2.0# 2.3# , .5-6# . - 2 Mo X M Total 100.0?? 100.0?? 100.0?? 100.0?? 100.0?? 100.0?? SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 76, (Mimeographed.) ; * The total answering for all instruments exceeds the | actual total shown because some people mentioned more than ! one instrument. i TABLE XXIX NUMBER OF TEACHERS STUDIED UNDER Total Number answering (1563) 1 Teacher ^7.9^ 2 Teachers 25.1# 3 Teachers 12.b% h or more Teachers 9*9% Don11 know, no answer b.7% Total 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 77? (Mimeographed.) 87! f TABLE XXX AGE OF PRESENT INSTRUMENT PLAYER CROSS TABULATED BY PLACE OF INSTRUCTION Age of Present PI f t Number Answering Part of School Work Private Teacher Both Total 5 - 9 years (105) 10.5# 87.6# 1.9# 100.0# 10 - 1*+ years (3^2) 21.6# 70.2# 8.2# 100.0# 15 - 19 years (226) 18.1# 69.1# 12.8# 100.0# 20 - 29 years (2^9) 6.8# 76.7# 16.5# 100.0# 30 - 39 years (2M+) 2.0# 87.3# 10.7# 100.0# *+0 - *+9 years (20*+) 3.if# 8*+.8# 11.8# 100.0# 50 years & over (178) .6# 9^.3# 5.1# 100.0# Total (15^8) 10.1# 79.6# 10.3# 100.0# .. _ _ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey j of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 78, ! (Mimeographed.) 881 TABLE XXXI INSTRUMENT NOW PLAYED CROSS TABULATED BY PLACE OF INSTRUCTION | Instrument Number Answering* School Work Private Teacher Both Total Piano (11H6) 3-5# 87.9# 8.6# 100.0# Bowed string (93) 12.9# 67.7# 19.^# '100.0# Fretted string (72) 11.1# 86.1# 2.8# 100.0# Wind instruments (161) 52.8# 26.7# 20.5# 100.0# All others (71) 18.3# 71.8# 9.9# 100.0# Total (1531) 10.1# 79.6# 10.3# 100.0# ; SOURCE* A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey I of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^+8), p. 79> I , (Mimeographed.) j i * The total answering for all instruments ' exceeds the actual total shown because some I people mentioned more than one instrument. 89 ' Former Players of Musical Instruments Of those interviewed, twenty-five per cent stopped their music lessons after the second year of playing. The i , average person who dropped his interest in a musical instru I ment did so after about five years. Over half of the former players said that their ; reasons for giving up their instruments were either they i became too busy or other interests crowded out music. i j Another twenty-five per cent stated that they simply "lost interest" and the rest said that they had no instrument i 38 available to continue playing. When the former players of musical instruments were asked what might help or encourage them to take up i 1 music again, forty-three per cent said, "... nothing, 1 indicating that they have given up any thought of resuming • j q their music". The other former instrument players mentioned that more leisure time was necessary, and still more needed an instrument in order to resume playing. 38Table XXXII. p. 90. 3^Bennett, .op. cit. p. 19. 90 i TABLE XXXII ENCOURAGEMENT NEEDED BY FORMER INSTRUMENT PLAYERS CROSS TABULATED BY INSTRUMENTS FORMERLY USED r Encouragement Wind ■ needed to Bowed Fretted Instru- All ! nlay arain_______ Total Piano String String ments Others ; mamDer answer ing* (22^9) (1399) (280) (1^3) (272) (186) Nothing *+2.8$ *+0.1$ if8.2$ *+3-3$ *+5.5$ More time, more leisure 20.1$ 20.3$ 21.1$ 19.6$ 21.0$ 19.if$ An instrument 19.0$ 22.7$ 9.6$ 15 Mo 12.5$ 19.if$ Encouragement by family, friends 6.2$ 5.6$ 7.9$ 9.1 $ 5.5$ 6.5$ Adult player group or class 3.8$ 2.3$ 9.3$ 3.5$ 8.5$ 2.7$ Less expensive ins truments, lessons 2.7$ 2.8$ 1.1$ 2.8$ i f ,if$ 2.2$ More space, more room 1 .7$ 1.9$ 2.1$ - 1.1$ 1.1$ Miscellaneous .....3.7$ if.3$ ..«.7$. if.2$ 3.7$ 1.2% Total 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ 100.0$ , SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^+8), p. 90, (Mimeographed.) * The total answering for all instruments exceeds | actual total shown because some people mentioned more than one instrument. 91 . The Problems of Adult Non-Players i Nearly sixty per cent of adult non-players answered I that they wished they had learned to play a musical in- j strument, and forty-four per cent of these would still ! like to learn to play if they had the opportunity. A I I typical American answer, "if they only had the opportu nity11. Other answers given by the adult non-players as to why they had never learned to play were that they were: ■ too busy, too interested in other activities and respon- ! sibilities, too old, or have a physical handicap, and I ; nearly half answered that they now do not have an instru ment. "Nearly thirty per cent of adult non-players have heard something about new and modern methods of teaching „k0 i . . ." These new methods are lessons at adult centers throughout the nation, free lessons by individual cities, and state music programs. One out of eight said that ' if evening classes were available in their area, they would be interested in taking up an instrument again. 1+0 Bennett, op. cit.. p. 20. 1+1 Ibid.« p. 20, and Table XXXIII. p. 92 TABLE XXXIII ADULT NON-PLAYERS INTERESTED IN EVENING CLASSES IF AVAILABLE Total Number answering (39^0) Yes 12.7% No 77.1% Perhaps 10.2% Total 100.0% SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^)) p. 95? (Mimeographed.) Parents of Child Non-Players Twenty-three per cent of the parents of children who do not play a musical instrument said they were *+2 "definitely planning to start" their children soon. Another twenty per cent stated that they were "seriously considering it." The current birth rate in the United States is approximately four million a year which clearly ". . . indicates the opportunity for greatly expanding ) [ > i musical participation among American youth." According to the researchers, the desire on the part of parents to give their children a musical education appears to be greatest when the children are between the k-5 ages of three and five years. This desire by the parents tends to decline sharply when the children reach the ages i of eight or nine. "Once children have reached the age of i fourteen, few parents nurture any hope or desire to start j > + 6 ! their children on a musical instrument." The benefits l of consumer research are shown again. The industry, in this case, should do one of two things: sell the idea of music lessons to the parents of the younger children with j I stress on the age group between the years of four and | seven, or promote lessons for the older children. ! ^Table XXXIV. p. 9*+. ^Table XXV, p. 95. *+3Bennett, eg. cit., p. 21. ^Bennett, _op. cit., p. 21. ^Ibid., p. 21. - _ . _____ TABLE XXXIV CONSIDERATION OF STARTING CHILDREN ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT LESSONS CROSS TABULATED BY SEX OF CHILD NON-PLAYERS Starting children on instrument lessons Total Male Female Number answering (196**) (98*0 (980) Definitely planning to start 23.5$ 21.8# 25*1% Seriously considering it 20 .b% 19.0# 21.8% Thought about it but not too seriously 21.1% 22.5# 19.7% Haven1t thought much about it 2 5-7% 26.9# 2b. 6% Thought about it but decided not to 9.1% 9.8# 8.8% Total 100.0# 100.0# 100.0# SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, “National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 96, (Mimeographed.) 95 TABLE XXXV AGE OF CHILD NON-PLAYER CROSS TABULATED BY CONSIDERATION OF STARTING CHILDREN ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT LESSONS of P . V i - 4 1 r ) Number Answer ing Defi nitely - Plan ning Seri- Haven't ously Thought Thought De- Consi- Much About cided dering About It It Not To Total 3 years & under (^32) 32. ^ 1 b.k% 28.7# 23.8# .7# 100.0# years (158) 3^.8 # 23.^# 2^.1# 17.1# .6# 0 • 0 0 H 5 years (167) 35.8# 19.2# 22.8# 21.0# 1.2# O • O O H 6 years (1^7) 25.9# 30.5# 17.7# 21.8# ‘ f.l# O • O O H 7 years (129) 2>f.O# 33.^# 11.6# 22.5# • CO 100.0# 8 years (121) 23.1# 37.2# 15.7# 1^.9# 9.1# O • O O H 9 years (112) 26.9# 22.3# 19.6# 2*+.l# 7.1# H O O • O 10 years (111) 18.9# 27.1# 21.6# 20.7# 11.7# 100.0# ll-l1 * yrs .(362) 10.8# 19.6# 30.1# 22.1# 17.*+# 0 • 0 0 H C O & 00 H 1 l r \ H .(221) 7.7# 5.0# bO.2% 18.1# 29.0# H O O • O Total (I960) 23 A# 20.5# 25.7# 21.1# 9.3# 100.0#, SOURCEj A. S. Bennett Associates, “National Survey : of Public Interest in Music, ' 1 (Chicago; 19*+8), p. 98, t (Mimeographed.) 96 One of the questions asked of parents of child non-players was, "Why do parents hesitate to start their b7 children on a musical instrument?" The results showed: (1) that thirty per cent of those interviewed believed that their child or children failed to show interest; (2) twenty-five said their child or children were too young; and (3) another seventeen per cent said they kS couldn't afford the lessons and instrument. Approximately two out of five of the parents of child non-players said their children wanted to learn to playj while only one out of ten said the child was opposed to it. . The other fifty per cent of the children had no decided opinion. When the interviewees were asked why they wanted their child or children to play a musical instrument, they stated: first, enjoyment; second, education; third, 50 social asset, and so on. L.7 ' Bennett, ojd. cit., p. 21 ^Ibid., p. 21. I f 9Table XXXVI. p. 97. Table XXXVII. p. 98. 97) TABLE XXXVI WHY PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILD TO PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CROSS TABULATED BY AGE OF CHILD Reason for Playing an Instrument Total 5 Years 6 Under 6-10 Years ll-lk Years 15-lB Years Number answering (127>+) (55D (>+65) (190) (68) Personal enjoyment for child 71.6% 76.*+% 66.2% 65*8% 85-3% Education, cultural value >+2.9% > + 6.8% >+1.5% 38 .>+% 33.8% Social asset 27.0% 28.7% 25.6% 27.*+% 22.0% Shows desire, interest 22.8% 1 3 . ^ 29.2% 31.6% 30.9% Shows talent 12.2% 6.5% 16.1% 19.5% 10.3% Way to make living 1.3 % 1.1% 1.9% 1.0% - All others 6.0% ..6.5% 7.1% 2.6% 2.9% Total 183.8%* 179.^%* 187.6%* 186.3% * 185.2% ’ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey ■ of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19>*8), p. 102, ' (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because some people gave more than one answer. J TABLE XXXVII CHILD'S OPINION OF TAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT LESSONS Total Number ansifering (196*+) Child wants to learn 39.9$ Child is opposed to it 9.8$ Child has no decided opinion 50*3$ Total 100.0$ SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey ' of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^8), p. 105, : (Mimeographed.) i Music Interests of the American Consumer I The researchers asked all those interviewed to indicate which of the following seven general types of music were especially enjoyed by the various members of ! their families. The seven ares (1) church music, hymns; 1 (2) popular dance music; (3) old favorites, folk tunes; j (*f) semi-classical; ((5) cowboy or hillbilly music; ' 5i (6) classical; and (7) boogy-woogy, jive. "To insure ; understanding as to the types, as well as thoughtful answers", the interviewers, "asked for an example of each > 52 ‘ type named. Over sixty per cent of the people named church music and hymns as the type they especially enjoyed. This ties in closely with the findings of Table XX, page i 7*+? in which the church received the most answers as a 1 source of music outside the home. Popular dance music was a close second, followed by old favorites and folk tunes. The others, semi-classical, cowboy or hillbilly, classical, and boogy-woogy and jive, followed in the . order listed, for enjoyment and popularity. 51 Bennett, op. cit.. p. 22. ^2Ibid.« p. 22. 100 One of the sharpest differences in musical tastes was found in occupational groups. Although this was suspected in the past, the survey showed that fifty-five per cent of the executive group and approximately the same amount of the professional group named classical music as their chief interest. Only fifteen per cent of the farmers were interested in classical music. The farmers seemed to prefer cowboy and hillbilly music as did the wage earners. This type of music - hillbilly and cowboy - was rated extremely low by the white collar workers. Table XXXVIII shows how the interest in clas sical and semi-classical music increases as the income of a family increases. The size of a city also casts a definite picture as to the taste and appreciation of certain types of music. Classical music rated high in the large metro politan areas and church music higher still in the rural areas.' The west coast and the east seemed to be the F t ^ strongholds for classical music enjoyment. ^3Table XXXVIII. p. 101. ^Table XXXIX. p. 102. ^Table XL> P* 103 ‘ TABLE XXXVIII FAMILY INCOME CROSS TABULATED BY TYPES OF MUSIC PREFERRED Type of Music P-no-P ATy i = r l Total Under $2,000 "?2,000- $2,999 . $3,000- $4: , 999 $5,ooo & over Number answering (4-278) (1176) (1359) (1103) (64-0) None 3.4-% 5.5% 2.9% 3.0% 1.6% Church music, hymns 60.6% 66.0% 60.6% 58.0% 55.2% Popular dance music 59.8% 44.1% 65.0% 66.8% 65-5% Old favorites, folk tunes 54-.7% 4-5.8% 58.3% 59.4-% 55.5% Semi-classical, operettas 4-2.8% 23.9$ 4-1.6% 52.5% 63.6 % Cowboy and hillbilly music 37.8% 4-1.8% 4-0.2% 35.4-% 28.9% Classical 33.8% 18.5% 31.0% 4-0.4-% 56.2% Boogy-woogy, Jive 19 • 3# 18.3% 19.8% 18.8% 21.1% All other _ . 1.8% 1.8% 1.6% ..2.3% _ 1.3% Total 3l4-.0%* 26 5.7%* 321.0%* 336.6%* 34-8.9%* SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 194-8), p. 114-, (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because some people gave more than one answer. 102 TABLE XXXIX CITY SIZE CROSS TABULATED BY TYPES OF MUSIC PREFERRED Type of Music Preferred Total 500,000 100,000- & over 500,000 2,500- 100.000 Rural- Farm & Non-Farm Number answering (*+537) (9*+l) (619) (l*+23) (155b) None 3.6$ b.6% 1.9$ 3.2$ b.1% Church music, hymns 60.8$ 38.3% 69.5$ 66.0$ 67.3$ Popular dance music 59.5% 6b.6% 6*+.8$ 60.2$ 53,.8$ Old favorites, folk tunes 5b.b% b7.3% 60.3$ 59.9$ 51.*+$ Semi-classical, operettas b2.3% b-7.3% *+8.0$ 52.*+$ 27.8$ Cowboy or hill billy music 3 7.b% 2 5 M *+2.5$ 29.9$ *+9.*+$ Classical 33.3% *+2.2$ 38.0$ *+!.*+$ 18.8$ Boogy-woogy, jive 18.9% 18.7$ 2 5.7$ 17.b% 17.8$ All other 1.8% .7$ 1.0$ .5% *+.0$ Total 312.0$* 287.1$* 351.7$* 330.9$* 29b.b%* SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, “Rational Survey of Public Interest in Music,'1 (Chicago: 19*+8), p. 115? (Mimeographed.) * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because some people gave more than one answer. TABLE XL GEOGRAPHIC SECTION CROSS TABULATED BY TYPES OF MUSIC PREFERRED Type of Music Preferred Total East Mid-West South West Number answering (*+537) (1183) (1 b55) (1316) (583) None 3*6% b.2% 2.7% b.0% [ 3.b% Church music, hymns 60.8% bb.0% 63.b% 7b. 3% 57.6^ Popular dance music 59.5% 60.0% 6 5.7% 55.5% 52.1$ Old favorites, folk tunes 5b.b% 53.3% 56.0% 51. b% 5b.b% Semi-classical, operettas b2.3% b9.8%> bb.9% 28.2% 52.5% Cowboy or hill billy music 37.b% 30.7% 39.3% b2.5% 3 b.5% j Classical 33.3% bo. 2% 32.9% 22.1% b5.8% Boogy-woogy, jive 18.9% 16.1% 15.8% 26.0% 16.6% All other 1.8% . 1.7% 3.7% .3% .9% Total* 312.0% 300.0% 326.b% 30b.3% 317.8% ■ I SOURCE: A. S. Bennett Associates, "National Survey of Public Interest in Music," (Chicago: 19^), p. 116, i (Mimeographed.) ! I * Total exceeds one hundred per cent because 1 some people gave more than one answer. I II. RESULTS OF PHILIP LESLY SURVEY ; The survey by the Philip Lesly Company of Chicago, : Illinois was made for the American Music Conference as a I supplement to the A. S. Bennett survey of musical instru- 1 ments. This report contained many pertinent facts on musical activity in the United States. The next few pages ' will therefore be devoted to this survey. Reason for Supplement Survey ! The results of the Philip Lesly survey which will follow are just a few of the more important factors of the findings of this company. One of the purposes of the I report, The Determination of Consumer Demand by the ; American Music Conference, is not only to give data and i ; results, but show why a survey is made and why a supple- I ment is necessary after a year or period of years has ( passed. The results of the supplement showed a great ! change in the consumer market of musical instruments, and i if the industry had followed the results of the 19*+8 sur- ' vey, the material used would have been out of date. Thus it is necessary to either bring a survey up to date or make an entirely new one. I 105 ; Sales of Musical Instruments i The Philip Lesly surveyors found that the retail musical instrument industry had a volume dollar sales of over $325 million in 1953* This is compared with 1952 when the industry1 s volume was $305 million. The pre-war years of 19*+1 and 1939 showed a volume of $90 million and $81 million, respectively. The table on the following page shows the amount of money the American family has spent on | musical instruments from the year I8*f9 to 1950. ■ Piano Sales and Piano Players Piano sales in 1953 showed that 16^,608 units were j sold in comparison with total unit sales of 15^,000 in 1 1952. In 19*+7 the total units sold amounted to 1*4-5,913* ■ Thus an increase is shown since the end of the Second I World War. Piano players have steadily increased since the early 1930's. In 1939 there were approximately 13,300,000 piano players. In 19*+7 there were 15,150,000, and in 1953 there were 18,750,000. On the basis of sales figures, the | j increase over the fourteen-year period in the number of i 1 I !people playing pianos was about twenty-nine per cent. j ! | . Musical Instrument Players The American Music Conference estimates that 106 j | ; TABLE XLI 1 i I 1 PRODUCTION FIGURES OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS : PER FAMILY FROM 185-9 TO 1950 Year No. of Families in U. S. Piano Production per Family in 1950 Dollars Other Instruments Production per Family in 1950 Dollars 185-9 5,000,000 $ 3.01 $ 3.98 190* + 17,000,000 7.91 9.53 1925 27,000,000 5.33 7.39 1935 32,000,000 .69 1.23 195-7 39,000,000 1.5-8 2.61 1950 5-3,000,000 1.5b 2.5-1 NOTE: These figures show the number of dollars' ; worth, in 1950 wholesale dollars of pianos and other musical instruments produced per family, SOURCE: John C. Kendel, "Facts on Musical Activity t 'in America," School Musician, (April, 1955), P* 10. ( 1 i 7,750,000 children are now playing instruments and getting i instrumental music instruction in public and parochial i I schools and with private teachers, compared with only i ; 2,500,000 in 19b?. This estimate is based on a survey in ; New York State in the spring of 1953? and on conservative j estimates projected from the 19*+8 Bennett survey. In ! j 195*f, of the 7?500,000 children playing musical instruments, it is estimated that almost half are studying piano. "An estimated 250,000 are added to the total every year ac- 1 | cording to our findings." 1 ! j Players in organizations. In 1953 schools in the | United States had more than 56,000 instrumental musical : organizations, with 18,000 orchestras and 38,000 bands. | Bands have increased sixty-five per cent since the Second 'World War, and it is estimated that the increase in number j of orchestras is even greater. Group lessons in piano j r alone., during 1952, were established in more than 600 school systems. j Player increase between 19V7-1953. The results of i a survey in New York found that the number of students who ! play an instrument in school groups has nearly tripled in the six years between 19^7-1953* Ninety-one per cent of i the schools in New York had bands in 1953 with a membership 108 of more than 66,000 players. There are 108,000 members of ’ choral groups, and 17,000 performers In junior and senior ! orchestras. I ‘ Why- Surveys and Their Results are Important I Today,advertising campaigns, promotional programs, i 1 sales and production methods, management policies, labor | problems, and almost every section of industry, are based ! upon research and the results that are based on these findings. Businessmen and government officials alike i have experienced the feeling of the change which has come ; over the United States during the past twenty years. As j scientific research has built and improved comfort and life, marketing and economic research have become the back-j bone of industry. Most businessmen and policy makers today! I ; base their decisions on some future trend with a basis of research data to support these decisions. Thus,this report ■ has shown the techniques of research and methodology and t . the results which can be achieved from accurate surveys. j i This was done because of the importance research plays in our present day economy. i CHAPTER IV DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SALES AND IMPORTS The music industry in the United States is better 1 than a billion dollar business as well as an art. Total consumer expenditures for tunes and hymns, concertos and symphonies, "pop1 1 and classical music and juke box har monies, including the instruments and other musical goods, run well above one billion dollars a year, possibly closer to one and one-half billion. Production and sales of musical instruments in America has become big business. An immense industry now stands where individual workmen, who owned their small shops and retailed their goods in small localities, once existed. One financial institution, the Security Bank of Washington, D. C., stated they believed that pianos as a business asset have many advantages over automobiles and other credit purchases, and therefore this bank loans over 2 1500,000 a year on pianos. -*-An estimate made by the National Association of Music Merchants cited by William F. McDermott, "Music Industry Plays Billion $ Tune," Nation1s Business, vol. *+2, No. 9, (September, 195*f) , p. 32-33. 2rbid., p. 32. 110 I This chapter will discuss three phases of the music industry. The first part cites the American sales of musical instruments, while the second phase characterizes I the distribution and imports of musical instruments, and ! I the third gives a forecast of the industry. j 1 i | ! I. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SALES For pianos and piccolos, English horns and violins, i clarinets and trombones, saxophones, and the many, many I ‘ other instruments used for making sound, the American con- i sumer is paying an amount in excess of $1,000,000 a day for each working day of the year. Sixty per cent of the | . total year's sales of musical instruments in the United States falls in the months of September, October, November 3 and December. The anticipated instrument gross in 1951 * was $325,000,000, but fell shy of that mark. However, the estimates of 1955 showed instruments sales were near MDO million in dollar volume. United States sales of musical instruments are broken down into four catagories: (1) woodwind and brass j I ' ' 1 . instruments; (2) stringed instruments; (3) percussion ' instruments; and ( * * • ) board instruments. The largest i dollar volume is the last group, board instruments, which ^McDermott, op. cit.. p. 33. . .J is the backbone of the industry Woodwind and Brass Instruments This family of instruments is broken down into two sections because of its size on the American market. Both the woodwind and brass manufacturers in the United States are the largest producers of their respective instruments in the world. The following sections will show the Ameri can sales as compared to foreign woodwind and brass sales in the United States• Woodwind instrument sales. The most important mem bers of this group are the flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, English horn, bassoon and saxophone. The saxophones, in their various pitches (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass) are included in this group even though physically these are brass instruments because, in orches tral music, the saxophones are always scored with the woodwinds• Sales and production figures of the woodwind instru ments in the United States are not available, but impor tation tables are: France produces over ninety per cent of the total amount of woodwind instruments imported by Americans. The reader should understand that many more woodwind instruments are produced in the United States than 1121 are imported. In 195*+ American importers bought over one and one-half million dollars worth of clarinets alone; another half million was spent on saxophones from foreign k countries. Add this amount to woodwind instrument parts and this shows an approximate three to four millions going j to foreign countries for woodwind instruments. If this figure is doubled, the reader can see a clear picture of what the American consumer is spending each year for for eign woodwind instruments. Brass instrument sales. The most important mem bers of the brass instrument group are the trumpet, cornet, trombone, tuba and the French horn. Most of these instru ments are manufactured and nationally distributed by Ameri can firms. Foreign competition in this group is slightly less than that of woodwind instruments. In 195*+ the United States imported approximately 300,000 dollars worth of brass instruments and parts. The brass instrument sales j in the United States are lower than the woodwind instrument; i sales and total somewhere between two and three million in j 5 ! retail dollars. j uJnited States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, United States Imports of Merchandise for Consump- < tion, Report No. FT 110, (Washington: Government Printing Office, 195^), P. 371. ^United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, _ ojd. cit.» p. 373• Percussion Instrument Sales The percussion section of the orchestra or hand, known collectively as the "batteries", may consist of a . single player who uses one or more instruments as called for. Some musical compositions, however, may call for as many as five players in the percussion section. The variety of percussion instruments is almost endless. In addition to playing the kettle drum, snare drum, bass drum, wood blocks, cymbals, triangle, gong, and the chimes, bells, xylophone, vibraphone, temple blocks and others, the percussionist is also called upon for special sound effects. Percussion instrument manufacturers estimate that their annual retail sales are approximately one million dollars at the jobber and wholesale level, or over twice as much as this section of the music industry did in the years 1938 to 1939.^ Stringed Instrument Sales Of the considerable array of stringed instruments, only the violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, banjo and ukulele are of Importance to manufacturers. While the string section is the simplest of the Marvin R. Solomon, "Survey of the United States Musical Industry" (prepared 'for the Italian Trade Com mission, Los Angeles, California, 1955)? P« 51. ; orchestra in terms of the number of different instruments i employed, it offers the greatest difficulties in terms of | selection of distribution. One of these reasons is that i | the buyer has a choice among old instruments rather than ! new ones. Only the low priced mass-produced foreign I ' stringed instruments have a great demand on the American , market today* ’ An answer given by the American wholesalers and ' importers in the survey conducted by the Italian Trade ; Commission showed that sixty-five per cent of the mass produced violins sold on the American continent are manu- 7 factured in Germany. The following figure shows the ’ distribution of low price violins selling on the American market in 1955* From the conclusion of the Second World War to { i i 1953) the stringed instrument production increased yearly. | Increased sales were due to fine promotion and technical advantages. Although the dollar volume in 1953 was re- ! ported to be the biggest in the history of these instru ments, twenty-five per cent ahead of 1952, the American production was only about half of the imported total. ' The electronic instruments actually lead the sales ' / I volume. The new innovations, a la American style, in- ! eluded the electric guitars and accounted for sixty to ! -------7------- Figure' 5. p. 115* ------- ----- 1151 10 20 30 ko- 50 60 70 8 0 90 100 ITALIAN FRENCH AMERICAN GERMAN EUROPE 10 20 30 kO 50 60 70 ■ 80 90 100 FIGURE 5 PERCENTAGE OF VIOLINS SOLD BY AMERICAN WHOLESALERS IN THE UNITED STATES (BASED ON DATA FROM “SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES MUSIC INDUSTRY*' PREPARED. FOR ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MARCH, 1955) sixty-five per cent of the dollar sales of stringed instru ments sold on the American market. Other electric and amplifier sales eliminated the loss which would have oc- i curred from the drop in sales of the lower priced string instruments and also offset the decline in other stringed instrument sales. The European pieces were being produced cheaper and getting a larger share of the American market until the electric and amplifier instruments came on the market. Thus one increase in sales offset a decline in the sales of stringed instruments. Individual companies were hurt, but the industry was not. Piano Sales j Pianos are the backbone of the American instrument | business, accounting for more than fifty per cent of the j industry1s sales volume. The peak piano years, prior to j the Second World War, were 1922 and 1923, when 250,000 j f and 3^3,000 pianos, respectively, left the factories. The highest postwar (World War II) year for the manufacturing j of pianos was in 1950 when 213,000 pianos were bought. I Since 1935 spinets have completely replaced the old i upright pianos in today's small homes. This spinet type ! of piano accounted for ninety-five per cent of all pianos : made in 19^9. Of the average sale today, the spinet enjoys a 3 to 1 advantage over the console in sales, because modern housing frequently will not permit the inclu sion of a console in the living room. Grand pianos current ly sold are only 3 to b per cent of total piano production. ; The National Association of Piano Manufacturers felt ithat upward of 150,000 pianos sold in 195^> and that this ‘ mark was surpassed in 1955. Piano manufacturers have set ^themselves for the long pull to restore piano sales to the i I 'peak level of 1923 when 31 +3*050 uprights and grands were sold on the consumer’s market. “Few businesses took the jbeating during the depression that piano manufacturers did; ^sales dropped to 27,27^ in 1932."® A reflection of this de crease in piano sales since 1923 on today's market is shown in a recent survey made by the National Association of Piano I Manufacturers. ”... 11,000,000 pianos are in use in this 'country today, but seven out of ten of them are out-of-date, 'disclosing a vast replacement market as well as the virgin territory of millions of new h o m e s . ; Leading American Musical Manufacturers There are many firms producing musical instruments ; i in the United States today. Some are large and others small. The following is a list of the leading musical ^William F. McDermott, “Music Industry Plays Billion $ Tune," Nation's Business, vol. *+2, no. 9> September, 195*+} P* 33- ! ^Ibid., p. 33. manufacturers, not only in the United States, but in the i world. A list of all would be impractical as well as mis' . leading. Thus only a few of the best known and leading I firms in the various fields xtfhich make up the musical ( j industry were chosen. j Pianos. Aeolian American Corporation, East Rochester, New York. The consolidation of the resources of the American Piano Corporation and the Aeolian Company makes this corporation the largest institution of its ikind in the number of its piano manufacturing resources I l and retail outlets. Organs. The Maas-Rose Carillon Company is the world1s largest unit manufacturer of organ chimes and carillons, and was formerly known as Maas Organ Company. Other large organ manufacturers are: i Baldwin Electronic Organ Company Cincinnati, Ohio Kilgen Organ Company St. Louis, Missouri Maas-Rose Carillons Los Angeles, California Other leading instrument manufacturers and wholesalers. Brilhart Musical Instrument Corp. . 3080 State Street i Carlsbad, California 119 Products manufactured by this company are: Ebolin, Tonalin and Tonalite mouthpieces for reed instruments; the famous Personaline mouthpieces; and Enduro labels. Bruno and Son, Inc. *+•60 W. Street New York 1, New York Bruno is the sole U. S. A. distributor for the Oxford Band instruments and Edgware Clarinets made by Boosey and Hawkes, Ltd. of England. Buegeleisen and Jacobson, Inc. 5-7-9 Union Square New York 3? New York One of the oldest and largest concerns engaged in the wholesaling of musical merchandise. Chicago Musical Instrument Co. 7373 N. Cicero Lincolnwood, Illinois CMI is better known as the world1s largest whole saler of musical instruments. It services the entire United States and buys from both American and foreign suppliers. Dorn and Kirschner Band Instrument Co. i 77 Springfield Avenue Newark, New Jersey One of the largest distributors of used musical instruments in the United States. Giulietti Corporation ! 250 Fourth Avenue ' New York 3> Hew York J 1 2 0 Fred Gretsch Mfg. 218 S. Wabash Avenue Chicago *+, Illinois Celebrating its 72nd anniversary, this company is one of the largest in the field of manufacturing, import ing and jobbing of musical instruments and accessories. Grossman Music Corp. 7^0 Bolivar Road Cleveland, Ohio One of the few organizations engaged exclusively in the distributing and wholesaling of musical instruments, accessories and sheet music. The Harmony Company 3633 S. Racine Avenue Chicago 9> Illinois Referred to as "Best in the Moderate Priced Field’ 1 ' , include guitars and amplifiers, mandolins and ukuleles, and many accessories for these instruments. Jenkins, G. C. Co. 101^ E. Olive Street Decatur, Illinois World's largest mallet instrument makers. Buescher Band Instrument Co. Elkhart, Indi ana One of the leading manufacturers of complete line of band instruments. C. G. Conn Ltd. Elkhart, Indiana The world’s largest band instrument manufacturers. 1 2 1 F. E. Olds and Son, Inc. 3505 S. Raymond Avenue Fullerton, California Manufacturers of world famous Olds and Olds Ambas sador band instruments. Getzen Company Elkhorn, Wisconsin Manufacturers of popular priced band instruments. G. Leblanc Corp. 30th Avenue at 71st Street Kenosha, Wisconsin Manufacturer Symphonie Bynamique clarinets ; the complete family of harmony clarinets, alto, bass, and contrabass. Trumpets, cornets and fluegelhorns, etc. Linton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Elkhart, Indiana Produce oboes, bassoons and clarinets. Martin Band Instrument Co. Elkhart, Indiana Builders of brass instruments and saxophones with a high degree of musical and mechanical excellence. Maxwell Meyers, Inc. 628 S. St. MaryIs San Antonio, Texas Specializes in band instruments, reed instruments, piano accordions, radios, television, public address sys tems, guitars, bass viols and accessories. II. DISTRIBUTION OF SALES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY The United States musical instrument sales are di vided into two phases:. (1) the home market, and (2) the schools and orchestras. The home market is regarded as the first market by music merchants; school bands and orchestras are the second best market. In terms of dollar volume, according to the National Association of Music Merchants, whose members account for approximately seventy five per cent of all musical instrument sales, piano pro duction leads, with band instruments second. This section will discuss the distribution, sales prices, and mark-up of musical instruments. It will also show import rates and duties which are apportioned to instrument classes. Distribution of Musical Instruments The distribution pattern of musical instruments in the United States is the manufacturer to wholesaler or jobber, and then to the retailer. When the instruments are imported another firm may be added; however, a manu facturer or even a wholesale distributor can perform the function of importing; or an importer may sell to a jobber thus eliminating risks of receiving inferior or defective merchandise from foreign sources without recourse. This also eliminates the many details attendant upon foreign import. In general there is a growing tendency in the United States to eliminate as many middlemen as possible in the musical instrument industry. Therefore many manu facturers sell directly to retail dealers. With over 6,000 retail music stores in the United States a problem of distribution still exists. Whether the manufacturers and foreign companies wish to tackle this distribution problem is not known. Both sides are represented in in terviews, and the next five years should show the policy of future musical instrument distribution. School Sales It was estimated in 1950 by the Italian Trade Commission, Los Angeles, that more than eighty-two per cent of all band instruments sales were to schools. To day it is believed that this figure has risen. Sixty per cent of all pianos sold in the United States were for children’s home instruction and to private music teachers. Sales to professional musicians, which amounted to only ten per cent of the total sales, were declining steadily in relation to the total volume of all instrument pur chases 10Table XLII. p. 12b. TABLE XLII CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS AM) PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL SALES OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS BOUGHT FOR EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL PURPOSES EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES Category of Band & Orchestra Other Purchasers Piano Instruments Instruments1 Schools 5 15 r - - ■> ' 10 Religious organ. 5 i 5 Students 5 70 20 C Private teachers 5 1 10 Home instruction 60 5 25 Clubs 2 l 1 Other 18 7 29 Average percentage of all sales, - 82 per cent. VOCATIONAL PURPOSES Teachers 5 1 10 Musicians ....3. 2 10 Average percentage of all sales - 10.3 per cent. -^Other instrument sales include miscellaneous string fretted and percussion instruments such as guitars, mando lins, drums and zylophones. ^Character building agencies such as YMCA, YWCA, CYO ^—H Clubs, etc. SOURCE: "Survey of the United States Musical Industry" (pr£ parked.. ' f'oT the Italian Trade Commission, Los Angeles, California, 1955) > p. 73 • 125] Sales Prices The prices given in this report are approximate ! figures and represent the ordinary model, or average model purchased. In the retail market it is common to find many discount firms where the buyer may find a considerable cut in the list price of an instrument, while on the other hand some firms may have an elaborate ornamentation which may raise the prices on their instruments considerably. Therefore the following prices will be given and quoted at retail, unless otherwise specified. Stringed instrument prices. The stringed instru ments made by the "old masters" run from $2,000 to $75*000 j each, depending on who made the instrument. The violins j of Antonius Stradivarius and those of Joseph Guarnerius j Del Gesu command the top figure mentioned. Instruments made by either pupils or relatives of these men may be valued at $750 to several thousand dollars. There are j i many others whose violins bring $75 to $300* and still others ranging in price from $150 to $1,000. i Woodwind and brass instrument prices. The prices ! i of these instruments vary according to the design, the j i pitch, the tone, etc. The following instruments are priced at retail, and considered the best instruments for the 126T] money. I Flutes............. $180 to $*+15 Piccolos.......... $250 to $300 j Clarinets......... $250 to $318 Bass Clarinets. . .$550 to $695 I Oboes............. $*+50 to $550 English Horn. . . .$600 to $750 . Bassoon $650 to $1000 Contra-Bassoon. . $1100 to $1200 ; Various saxophones.$175 to $600 The writer found that many of the American companies ! were ballyhooing their instruments at high prices. That is possibly why they were so ready to give out lists of prices at which instruments should be sold by the retailer. In many cases the lower-priced foreign instruments were as 1 good, if not superior to their competitors in the United : States. Mark-up on Instruments. The exact mark-up on any particular group of merchandise in the musical instrument field cannot be traced. The mark-up on instruments de pends upon the size of the firm, its overhead, its buying i or cost prices, and many other factors. Generally, in the > ' | United States, the retail merchant1s discount is fifty : per cent of the selling price of an instrument, which is j 11 1 a one hundred per cent mark-up on cost. The same figures apply to most of the wholesalers, but their mark-ups still vary with the instrument. These discounts or mark-ups may run higher or lower depending upon the rate of turn- 1 over of inventory of the particular firm and instrument. 1 1 Solomon, og. nit., p. 68. 127 The jobbers work on a fifteen to twenty-five per cent •up 13 12 gross. The manufacturer's average mark-up is eleven to seventeen per cent of their selling price.' Imports and Duties on Foreign Instruments Prior to World War II statistics were not kept as accurately and as detailed as those compiled today. Never theless, the Department of Commerce in the United States had certain tables of figures available. Tables of impor ted musical instruments go back as far as 1936, but these are not too accurate. Import duties today vary with different instruments, but the average is twenty per cent. The following is an example of the cost of an imported instrument. $ 55.00 f.o.b., Italian port, packing included (without case). 11.00 20 per cent duty. 5.50 10 per cent freight and insurance. 2.25 5 per cent harbor handling, broker and delivery charges. I 73.75 total cost of instrument to firm for shipment. 7.38 10 per cent excise tax to be absorbed by the dealer, and charged to consumer. $ 81.13 10.00 Instrument case. ¥TiTl3 amount invested in instrument ready for sale. $18 5.00 approximate retail selling price (100 per cent mark-up on cost) ~ ^Ibid., p. 68 . ^Ibid., p. 68; This is actually called a manufact urers mark-up because parts of musical instruments are imported and very seldom made entirely from raw materials. 128” III. FORECAST OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY By 1950 it was estimated that about eighty-two per cent of all band instrument sales went to schools. The growth in the music industry can be seen by the following j statement. The year "1951 +-55 has shown the largest volume of business in the history of the band instrument indus- 1*+ try." This projection for the next five years ' ’points to a period of unmatched prosperity." Evaluation of the Music Industry by Executives Mr. Eugene Wulsin, vice president of the Baldwin Piano Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, and president of the National Piano Manufacturers Association, said, "In the ■ first half of 1955 we are twenty per cent ahead of 195I +»" He indicated that since 1950 the industry has shipped more pianos in the second six months than in the same period the year before. "Starting with 1951? that's four years in a row, and 1955 should make it five." j John W. Griffin, executive secretary of the Record I Industry Association of America believed that, "The year 1955 marked the release of what may very well prove to be ! the fastest selling phonograph records in the history of j the record business. . ." -^Arthur E. Hastedt, vice president of the Cundy- I Bettoney Company, Inc., Boston, Mass., and the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers. ] In 1951 + the record industry turned out four million units amounting to over $100,000,000. 1 1 This year — with demand for better quality units greater — figures should reach close to five million phonographs made with a value l1 ? of about $135,000,000." ' The president of the National Association of Musical Merchandise Wholesalers, David Wexler, stated that ". . . during the first six months of this year we are five to ten per cent ahead of the same period of 195*+ (musical instruments), with strong indications that total sales will exceed those of 195S*" Robert W. Keyworth, vice president of the Kay Musical Instrument Company, and president of the National Association of Musical Merchandise Manufacturers, reported that banjos were having a big year, leading the sales of fretted Instruments. He added that there was a trend toward sales of more expensive instruments in his field. Prank Friemann, president, Magnavox Co., Fort 1 ! Wayne, Indiana, stated that "Television sales for the ! first five months of 1955 were forty per cent again of the i same period last year." He believed that fall sales would i be at least as great, or greater. ■^Joseph Dworken, president of Dynavox Corp., and president of the Phonograph Manufacturers Association. 130 Thus an increase in sales 'throughout the music in- |dustry in 1955 and 1956 is expected by the leaders. The jretail sales of musical merchandise are expected to reach i^OO million in the next three years. This is an increase 1 i of over 300 million from 19*+0. Just before World, War II ! retail sales in this industry were approximately 81 mil- dion in 1939 and 90 million in 19*+1. But sales continued i ! to climb until the second quarter of 195*+ when there was a slight drop in business throughout the American economy. iThis decline in Gross National Product has since been off set, and business is again growing rapidly. I ! . Room for Future Domestic Production A recent interview of the leading wholesalers and |importers of musical instruments showed that production of instruments in the United States is not sufficient to meet the demands of the home market, with the exception of piano 1 and organ production. The biggest proof of this is the in- , creased importation yearly of musical instruments into this j ■country. The high cost of labor in the United States is i presumed to have the greatest affect of the total instru- j 'ments produced. The United States has approximately 3000 ! 1 t skilled music instrument laborers according to the American ^Music Conference. Yet the need for more is great. CHAPTER ¥ C O N C L U S I O N j 1 This thesis has given a complete analysis of two studies made for the American Music Conference, and one | 1 study made for the Italian Trade Commission. The thesis !is broken down into four parts. The first two have shown ;the methods and results of present day consumer surveys, 'while the last two parts describe the sales and production methods, and forecasts of the music industry. The main i intention of the report was to show how the music industry conferred upon the consumer a voice in the selection of instrument production, sales, advertising and promotion. The methods behind the surveys and the techniques used by the research organizations showed a usage of the most modern tools available. The results of these sur veys, although minor in importance to the reader of this I report, were scientifically made. The selection of cross 1 tabulation of the answers of the questionnaire was well j organized and properly combined. The only fault in the organization and selection of territories to be interviewed < fell in the rural section of the United States. Results ! of this section of the country did not indicate a representative sample of that part of the American economy. ; Because of the cost of interviewing the rural sections of 1 the United States, the researchers decided to interview > only half of the families needed for a representative i I sample and then multiply the results by two. This is done by many research firms, but cannot represent a completely : accurate sample. j I. IMPORTANCE OF SUPPLEMENT SURVEYS | As previously mentioned, the A. S. Bennett Associ- , ates survey for the music industry was made in 19^8. If I ! a music firm were to use this survey today as a basis for I advertising, sales or production, then more than likely they would place their reliance upon outdated material. J Therefore, supplement surveys must be made after a lapse of a year or period of years. This thesis has shown how im portant a supplement survey is and how it is made. The usual procedure in the making of a supplement survey is to follow the same pattern as the original survey. This was done by the Philip Lesly Company when they made a : supplement survey of the A. S. Bennett Associates1 survey. ■ Chapters II and III explained how the two surveys were made and how the results of these two surveys differed. ■ Thus a supplement for any survey is necessary unless the 133 passing of time requires a completely new survey be made, II. INDUSTRY RESEARCH Possibly even before the consumer is studied by an industry, the industry itself should be surveyed. An association such as the American Music Conference made one mistake here. They did not survey their own industry before going out and interviewing the consumer. The first few pages of Chapter II described why the consumer was surveyed, but there was no mention of why its own members had not been surveyed. Because of the lack of information given by the American Music Conference on its industry, this report has included a survey by the Italian Trade Commission which met this requirement. As mentioned, this survey dealt with the musical activity and foreign instru ment activity in the United States. III. INPORTANT SURVEY RESULTS According to the A. S. Bennett Associates survey, backed by the supplement survey by the Philip Lesly Com pany, rural America is more musically inclined than the urban area of the United States. A result such as this changes the stress of many music firms. Before the surveys were completed, many musical firms pointed their 13^ advertising campaigns toward the cities and urban areas. Now a change has been made, and the rural areas are get ting more advertising and promotional material. According to the surveyors, the white collar workers and the executive class own most of the musical instruments. This fact made the music firms more conscious of these groups and that in order to sell the workers of the United States, a new type of campaign must be set forth. The results of the surveys showed that many changes were needed in the industry. The firms realized that many of their ideas were out of date, all because the consumer was never before considered in the music industry. This report has shown how an old-fashioned industry has become modernized and can now produce with the best of the American industries. The report has described what modern research can do for an industry, and how powerful the tools of economic research are today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bennett, A. S. Associates. National Survey of Public Interest in Music. Chicago: A. S. Bennett Associates, March 1, 19l £T""” Brown, Lyndon 0. Marketing and Pistribution Research. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 19^9 • Edgerly, Beatrice. From the Hunter1s Bow. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 19^2. Kendel, John C. "Facts on Musical Activity in America," School Musician. April, 1955- McDermott, William F. "Music Industry Plays Billion $ Tune," Nation1 s Business. vol. k-2, No. 9? September, 19$+. Mize, J. T. U. (ed.), Who is Who in Music. Illinois: Sterling Publishing Co., 1951* "Music," The Universal Standard Bncyclopaedia. New York: Unicorn Publishers, Inc., 1955, XVI, $9$+* Schauffler, Robert Haven. "The Creative Listener," Musical Amateur. Cited by Elizabeth Rider Montgomery, The Story Behind Musical Instruments. New York: Dodd, Mead and C ompany,’ 1953. Schwartz, H. W. The Story of Musical Instruments. New York: Doubleday, Doran and Co. j ' 1938. ~" United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census United States Imports of Merchandise for Consumption. Report No. FT 110. Washington: Government Printing Office, 19$+. ppfverslty of Southern California

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Creator Solomon, Marvin Ralph (author)

Core Title Determination of consumer demand by the American Music Conference

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Economics

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag economics, general,music,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Phillips, E. Bryant (committee chair), Dockson, Robert R. (committee member), Garis, Roy L. (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c20-444938

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Rights Solomon, Marvin Ralph

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