THE "DESERT RATS" MUSICAL SHORTHAND SYSTEM

By B. w. Robie '12. Published by the Pacific Music Press, Inc., San Francisco, California.

There is a definite feeling of antipathy among musicians, who have been brought up in the regular manner of learning the rudiments of music, toward any scheme that requires them to change or to add to their long established principles. However it is not for that group that Mr. Robie has written his little study of musical shorthand. It may well be that this is a short cut through the intricacies of sharps, flats, scales, and chords to the playing of compositions from his diagrams. There is frequent inquiry among the men in college for a method of learning to read music but there is little patience on their part in following along the established procedures. The next inquiry your reviewer receives will find him suggesting the Robie method. Having found my "dog" upon which to set my "desert rat," I will sit back and await results. It should produce more music in a shorter space of time for the type of wouldbe musician for which it has been designed.