Player pianos like this one were once common in homes throughout the United States. In fact, long before the radio or phonograph, it was the player piano that introduced music to society on a large scale. Prior to the introduction of the player piano, the only way our ancestors knew the melody of a song was to learn it from a friend of family member, hear it played live on an instrument or by an ensemble, or to read it on a piece of printed music! It really is incredible to consider how importan