14. Music typewriters

Music typewriters are a further milestone in the production of typewriters. The idea of developing music typewriters is as old as writing music itself. The first attempts were made as early as 1734. However, it was over 200 years later, after various inventors had attempted this task, that a usable music typewriter was built. First, the German inventor Rundstatler accomplished a new system for writing music which was generally considered to be the best typing system for music. This machine was manufactured in 1936 by the Archo factory in Frankfurt and the “Archo – Nototyp” was created. The version for export – “Melotyp” – is displayed here.

This remarkable typewriter, with which complete scores could be written, received an award at the Paris world exhibition but was not a commercial success. Later, the Continental factory developed a music typewriter based on the Continental standard typewriter with which all the notes and signs required for music could be typed. One special music typewriter, the “Keaton-Music Typewriter”, is on display here. This was manufactured in the 40s in San Francisco.