Photoplayer Unusual Instrument Used In Silent Films

Photoplayer Unusual Instrument Used In Silent Films
DeanScottPresentsDSP - Facebook Page
The central instruments in a photoplayer were a piano and percussion; some machines also added pipe organs and methods for manually creating sound effects. Like a player piano, the photoplayer played music automatically by reading piano rolls (rolls of paper with perforations), but the photoplayer could hold two rolls: one that would play while the other was prepared. Common sound effects included gun-shots, bells and drums, which were generated by pulling chains called "cow-tails". Some photoplayers feature electric sound effects, such as sirens, automobile horns, and other oddities. A photoplayer operator had to load the paper rolls, start the machine and add the manual sound effects and percussion using the cow-tails.
kzbin.info/aero/PLAIMVWhm9m4fL2BXttpPhPJ_Yr_pK1Gh8
kzbin.info/aero/PLAIMVWhm9m4fX50B4XgBUZZTQPiqWFJ1B

[@squigg7107]

When he said “hit it Joe,” nothing could have prepared me for just how hard Joe hit it

[@monkeytennis7477]

😂😂😂😂

[@jcarry5214]

Just BRUTALIZED it

[@insertnamehere1258]

joe just went hard

[@SpencerWilliamsIV]

The original going HAM

[@KTHKUHNKK]

I know what you mean totally awesome

[@joshuabowen316]

If this guy does funerals I'm totally booking him.

[@scottanos9981]

Eulogy: "He realized, too late, that his life was in fact a joke 🤡" HIT IT JOE

[@itsshrimp91]

Honestly I'd only be upset I didn't get to hear it... then again that damn thing is so loud I'm sure it'd wake the dead. 🤣

[@MoparMan777]

Fred Willard did exactly that on I Think You Should Leave: kzbin.info/www/bejne/imjJaquKha5sm9E

[@orbitalbutt6757]

ITYSL bit

[@deletdis6173]

​@@scottanos9981 lmfao

[@Orange_mann]

Joe's the type of guy to accidentally run off a cliff, pause in the air, look at the camera, and actually then start to fall

[@ianbrown3689]

Not before he does a dishearten wave goodbye.

[@GasMaskProductions0]

​@@ianbrown3689or he pulls out a sign that says "uh oh"

[@spaghettthesomeone9625]

@@GasMaskProductions0 and when he hits the ground he leaves a perfectly shaped hole of himself

[@GasMaskProductions0]

@@spaghettthesomeone9625 and the moment he falls a dust or cloud version of his silhouette stays there in the air

[@tpf6369]

Or when he smells pie he floats to it

[@jajussy]

"HIT IT JOE!" * tomfoolery and loligagging pursue *

[@grandeTO9]

I think you mean “ensue”

[@Doublejho]

i'd also like to add that it's "lollygagging"... i'd really rather the variation with an i not be choking at all

[@Ryans.instruments]

He's like a DJ but acoustic

[@chilkootsailor492]

super underrated comment

[@adruery]

Very true but any actual musician is.

[@SeltenLive]

Absolutely not! A Dj plays pre recorded records like a barrel organ. You just twist it instead of pressing play. This man is playing everything at the moment. More like a modular synthesizer performance; being able to manipulate and create all in the moment 🎛️🥳💃🏽

[@sloganwade4994]

​@SeltenLive that's a gross oversimplification of what DJs do.

[@itsv1p3r]

@@sloganwade4994not really, djs are pretty talentless

[@poshko41]

He’s probably like one of three people living that actually knows how to play that thing.

[@monkeytennis7477]

That's no lie 🔥😭😂🤯

[@Yello96486]

This may sound crazy but at my music after school place (I'm in high school and I play oboe and English horn at high school and Hartt uni), there is a smaller, less crazy and more modernized version of this thing that I got to try once (there are other students who have tried more)

[@Yello96486]

So ya

[@PlumeriaObtusa]

Sure, the world must have about 3 musicianskkkk.

[@zell3387]

its just a photoplayer btw

[@DreyTheGamer]

Imagine calling the cops to report a noise complaint and telling them “A 1950s cartoon appears to be taking place next door”.

[@techjo85]

*1920s (whatever you don’t have to change it)

[@nEthing4Her]

😂😂😂

[@elkricar5634]

@@techjo85 1930s-1940s

[@techjo85]

@@elkricar5634 the 30s began to be more orchestrated

[@MayorMcheese12]

I thought it was from SpongeBob

[@SakuraVibezVA]

Joe is the kind of person to run into a brick wall and leave a perfect impression of his outline 😂

[@thatcactus.]

Bro probably starts floating when he smells something nice 💀

[@ThisIsAYoutubeHandle.]

Bro probably to say “no more Mr. Nice guy!” while rolling up his sleeves up to his shoulders before he gets into a fight.

[@superboy4209]

I love how the guy with mic is like "HIT IT JOE" and the guy on the piano just casually busts out the sickest beat I've ever heard in my life

[@missedconcept]

Average Drake praise

[@ObviousTrollFrom2007]

@@missedconcept DO NOT COMPARE THIS MAN TO DRAKE-

[@LRS905]

You seem to not have heard much in life, don't you simple one?

[@impossiblehanley2732]

​@@missedconceptdrake if he had talent

[@ibrahimzonbia155]

Drake if he was made of bees

[@zsaknorpowe4639]

I love how theres literally NO CONTEXT. just a "hit it joe" and thats it

[@Jess-pe8bq]

Dude: “Hit it Joe!” Joe: _fucking goes to town_

[@hebneh]

Then it ends with the same guy asking, “What in the world is going on?”, followed by no answer.

[@oscillationcommunications709]

It’s hilarious and frustrating all at once! 😅 I wanna know what the hell is inside that beast.🤘🏻

[@isaacsolis5951]

THIS

[@LaundryBunnie]

That's what had me. "Hit it Joe!" and he absolutely demolishes whatever that is with some goofy tom & jerry chase music 😭 then "What in the world is going on?!" and he just sits there laughing like he didn't just play the most chaotic yet beautiful tune

[@Duggernaut23]

The whistle makes this a thousand times better 😂

[@AlexAVLA]

Yes! The whistle is my favorite.

[@alexrekzu4079]

It's like slipping on a banana peel in a Merrie Melodies cartoon

[@Joeypompello]

I like the horn at 1:13 too

[@lucaventuri4882]

True, my fav🤣

[@faceplate7461]

i would like to have that as my car horn

[@Michael-Lord-Of-CHEEZ]

Teacher: stop messing around in the back! The people in the back:

[@nathanielouzana]

Imagine sitting at the piano and playing every instrument but the piano

[@Nobody-ue5qs]

if im not seeing things,the piano may be playing itself or hes using the pedals underneath to play it

[@Rochester92G]

@@Nobody-ue5qs Yep. The self-playing piano seems to be the centerpiece he's working off then adding his..noises.

[@Redicule_research._ridiculous]

Organs used to have a keyboard, and any kind of instruments hooked up to it. So even though everything fancy, this is "just an organ"

[@Nobody-ue5qs]

@@Redicule_research._ridiculous quite a silly organ,a organ that is quite goofy,a organ that does a lot of tomfoolery

[@malignanttuna7790]

Before recording with microphones was invented, there was a type of piano called the pianola. You could insert a sheet similar to a music box mechanism that could automatically play a song for you. I am fairly certain that is the mechanism being used here

[@salt-emoji]

You can tell Joe absolutely loves that instrument. :')

[@nsr-ints]

That is the smile of a man who loves his job.

[@Alain-id3qf]

Man I love that instrument

[@midnightchurningspriteshaq8533]

His movement is as funky as the sound

[@MK68755]

Joe is a legend

[@Eisenwulf666]

I can imagine his wife has some choice words about it .." Here he goes again..That old fool..Always playing with his toy while i do all the work!" . "Where's Joe? Oh, you know him, always fooling around with that goshdarned machine of his. It's big, loud and useless. Just like him i guess". (i hope in reality he has a wonderful and loving partner, i just thought it funnier if she was a curmudgeon)

[@bigteej8366]

The craftsmanship of some of these music machines from late 1800's and early 1900's is incredible.

[@kristianspot2683]

Underrated comment but so true. Genius masterminds

[@digital_matt]

​@Vězení pro Smažky do it with the same technology they had and say it's easy again

[@jpsholland]

I think this instruments can be seen as an very early synthesizer - workstation.

[@BritishEngineer]

@@digital_matt Simple systems of strings and basic electrical systems. The most complex assembly of the machine is the automatic piano player.

[@HyperionBadger]

It makes no sense to me sometimes how some of the things they crafted back then were even possible.

[@turtlecrawling66]

I'm utterly flabbergasted. It's like Joe is conjuring musical magic from an antique contraption. With a mischievous grin and fingers that dance like caffeinated squirrels on the keys, he transforms this giant piano with weird cords into a cacophony of hilarity. The way he mashes buttons and stomps pedals, you'd think he's part maestro, part mad scientist. It's a sideshow of sound, and I'm convinced Joe is the ringleader of this whimsical symphonic circus. It's a laugh riot, and I can't help but be astounded by his zany, toe-tapping performance.

[@ADuckWithAYoutubeAccount]

The way this comment is written combined with its complete sincerity is hilarious to me

[@DaftBrian1]

Bard/Artificer lol

[@taxman3749]

Joe isn't the whole band... He's the whole orchestra.

[@staples138]

And you, not at all a clown

[@ERH1453]

BEAUTY!!!!!!

[@isaace436]

Hes the entire music industry

[@railgap]

@@staples138 This is everything you have to offer, isn't it?

[@staples138]

@@railgap legally, yes

[@thespiceman9367]

You honestly gotta admire the creative workarounds like this people make in response to limitations in technology

[@gingerman5123]

Limitations?! This was the peak!! The tippity are top. It’s been all downhill from there.

[@stevengoold6931]

This was not a limitation. Technology is a crutch that has forever hurt the passion and ingenuity that drove people to create masterpieces

[@beestings22]

@@stevengoold6931you realize that’s exactly what they’re saying right? You got so caught up on semantics you decided to argue with someone saying the same thing as you lol

[@Murph1331]

DaVinci was building automatons in his day. Crazy how intelligent we’re capable of being

[@ColdNorth0628]

​@@stevengoold6931doubt.

[@amazingandbrilliant224]

I work as a teacher at school with small kids. This melody really describes how it is like to work with children...

[@MAGNETO-i1i]

Dont worry we all grow up and die eventually 😅

[@weegee42069]

​@@MAGNETO-i1i what

[@MAGNETO-i1i]

@@weegee42069 lifes shit sometimes and we all die, so dont worry be happy

[@jeffreyhughes7107]

The melody is THE TWELFTH STREET RAG.

[@artgamechanger3841]

Hahaha 😂😂😂😂!!!!

[@yesteryearr]

Me pretending I'm actually playing as I hit the "Demo" button on the Keyboard

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

Exactly

[@austindevejian4044]

It gives sme chills how into it he is. I've never seen this much passion outside of conducting an orchestra

[@jakobmorgan420]

I mean he is conducting and playing the whole orchestra nearly

[@_c_y_p_3]

You should go to a gogol bordello show!

[@arnoldhernandez1910]

@@_c_y_p_3Google?

[@lethalbell]

Joe is the orchestra

[@DIOsbrand]

Joe is more than an orchestra, he's the entire performance

[@fupperpish109]

I was having an absolutely terrible day but hearing Joe go absolutely wild on that thing really cheered me up

[@oliver8141]

I always come back here on a bad day

[@jin_cotl]

For real me lad, that was amazing

[@bcferriesman1438]

Me too I was having a very bad day a while ago. I was very depressed and sad, and then I found this and As soon as joe started to play I immediately couldn’t stop smiling and I had to stop myself so hard to not laugh. And then after that I couldn’t stop listening to it and I soon forgot about all my problems.

[@Equitine]

Nothing in this world could ever prepare me for not only how hard joe hit it but how hard jor worked for it.

[@charlescharliejpeg]

LMAOOO

[@chungus100]

jor

[@Taco_Raider]

Nothing could prepare me for how you shamelessly ripped off another comment, douchenozzle

[@garlicbreadstick404]

Jor woeked day and night for this masterpiece

[@ZachAttack38]

I had a classmate in AP Computer Science who would play this every day at the start of class. It became the class theme.. I will never forget him.

[@youtubecensors5419]

I just encountered this video, saved it, and will listen to it every morning as I leave my apartment. I think it will do wonders.

[@jonnyroberts5545]

me: trying to sleep my brain: HIT IT JOE

[@NBJ97]

omg :D

[@Rammstein45]

HA!!!!!

[@Lexster918]

Yes!!

[@heroinmom153]

Yuuuuuup!

[@r0bz0rly]

hahahah fuck this one got me

[@lorenzoangiulli8817]

Pov: you are in a saloon in the old wild west, everybody is drunk and there's a fight going on... That's the perfect soundtrack

[@cudroid]

wrong. you are at goaggle ohand

[@prodtheontar]

@@cudroid the rides?

[@blorptumis_prime]

It stops for a few seconds when you enter and everyone stares at you then you spit into the spittoon and it starts up again and everyone goes back to what they were doing

[@thegreengribbler]

incorrect usage of the pov format

[@waitingforwhoasked6403]

@he he he incorrect usage of a correction

[@mraaronhd]

Guy at party picking up girls: “Do you all like Wonderwall?” *plays it on guitar* Joe: “Hold my Butterscotch pudding…!”

[@HelloShitty08]

And boy, did Joe hit it that night.

[@jansenmccloud]

the butterscotch pudding killed me 💀🤣

[@pupyfan69]

anyway here's 12th street rag

[@gorillaump5869]

That's the funniest post I've seen all week!... he probably has butter scotch pudding drinks with peanut butter and banana sandwiches before throwing down on this contraption.

[@mountainmanmcbeachfront5296]

Lol butterscotch pudding

[@micah1254]

This instrument is used exactly as wackily as you would expect a cartoon instrument to and I love it!

[@iWerli]

Every time he pulls the "WHEEEEW" one i freakin lose it lmao

[@mihael64]

I wonder what that sound is called

[@snakekeeper2073]

@@mihael64 the banana peel slip lol

[@datonefriendlyfry2811]

@@mihael64I think it might be a slide whistle

[@mihael64]

@@datonefriendlyfry2811 thanks

[@doctor_sandvich]

I think its an acme road clearer siren.

[@sorrowcat2724]

Finally, the Doohickey, Thingamabob and Whatchamacallit all in one device.

[@realchikinmcnugets]

what about the mousekatool

[@skeletonentertainment4201]

@@realchikinmcnugets that's a surprise tool that'll help us later

[@Woodland_Adventures]

I had to rewatch this so many times because damn he's good. Only to realize the best part is that's a player piano. It's playing itself, and all Joe is doing is keeping up with it playing at least a dozen instruments. Impressive, even if slightly less so than I orginally thought.

[@xxscribbledragonxx9744]

you lie, clearly he's playing the piano with his mind

[@weegee42069]

Joe is the kind of man to make the scenery where people fly towards the smell of a pie Edit:Joe be helping bugs bunny

[@darkone292]

It’s a wonderful day for pie

[@Jacob-kx1ix]

Drake the typa dude to fly towards the smell of pie

[@dj_longinus]

drake be like

[@captaineldeezee1336]

​@@darkone292You can ask all the birds in the sky!

[@_frontlinefx_]

@@captaineldeezee1336 you can tell them real sweet, with a musical tweet its a wonderful day for pie!

[@ericawalsh6251]

Imagine a spooky movie, then you have Dracula playing one of these while the protagonist gets horrifically murdered "Hit it drac"

[@JohanKylander]

Something like this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmGYlH1rfJuHb6M

[@Vaultytheman]

LMAO

[@RJ-wx3fh]

a very campy phantom of the opera

[@midnight6994]

@@RJ-wx3fh BHAHAHA GELP

[@maximum_axiom]

Or a Scooby Doo villain who had this perfectly timed to each of his death traps' activation. Imagine hearing a slide whistle and just seeing like 12 axes come out of nowhere

[@isrulius]

I like how while Joe is performing the entire orchestra the piano is just playing itself 😂 That’s teamwork.

[@IronBridge1781]

I like to imagine that it isn’t actually a player piano, Joe has just trained it really well and is now working on getting the other instruments up to grade.

[@AzillaKiami]

@@IronBridge1781This is a reply i enjoy immensely

[@Scary_account]

Casper the friendly ghost and old man joe bouta rise to the top charts

[@camohawk6703]

Joe is the type of guy you want to just spend all day talking about the most random stuff over beer.

[@jimda4910]

The film would have arrived at the theater with a written score for this instrument. Each time the movie was shown , the soundtrack was played live in the theater. Imagine playing this thing Several times a day for each movie shown that day.

[@justforever96]

They used an actual orchestra in most theaters. I didn't think this was a super common thing, it must have been really expensive. Possibly at the bigger theaters. The smaller ones would have a piano guy and a sound effects guy, others would be a small orchestra.

[@justforever96]

​@@davesmith3023it can play all kinds of different tunes for different atmosphere. You charge the piano role and presumably there is less call for sound effects. Other choices for the instruments.

[@jimda4910]

@@davesmith3023 the sheer physicality of playing this thing. It would be equivalent to running a marathon.

[@deepfriednips]

I would love it

[@thetheatreorgan168]

​​​@@justforever96in addition to orchestras, most had large pipe organs made by Wurlitzer and other companies: the savings made by scaling up the "one man band" concept to a comically huge size WERE just that good. Baseball organists actually arose when the organists lost their jobs to sound-tech.

[@monkee3609]

"Hit it Joe" and then proceeds to play the most whimsical yet fascinating tune and still keep composure through it. Like he was creating the sounds of god. It is to the point where words can't describe the amount of silliness I felt when he played this masterpiece. I almost did the most did the tom-fooler thing imaginable, but somehow I didn't because it ended to soon.

[@Eichro]

the perfect instrument doesn't exi--

[@specialaccount7631]

No seriously, this is actually the greatest instrument that has ever been invented and ever will be.

[@SuperDutyDave]

4.5 Billion years of evolution has led to this

[@Makerkiddo]

This fella is the only one who could play a 1950's doohickey instrument, and I love it

[@CaptainBeamng]

1910’s

[@basaltcrust1915]

Doohickey Thats the best description for this, thank you

[@GoofballPaul]

@@basaltcrust1915 I’d say it’s more of a thingamajig or contraption

[@basaltcrust1915]

@@GoofballPaul thank you

[@familyoddoye]

Watchamacallit

[@ihonestlycantthinkofaname3763]

Joe is so good at playing the instrument that he played the piano with his mind. Didn't even have to touch the keys.

[@mihael64]

i know its a r/wooosh but the piano plays itself

[@HullsColby]

​@@mihael64the piano plays itself because of how scared it is of Joe

[@TheLastFBIagent]

@@mihael64yet you did it anyways

[@demonking41-l8j]

​@@mihael64You know you looked like a retard, and yet you did it anyway. You redditors are really scum.

[@Desecrator6]

​@@mihael64dont worry the real world doesn't care about neckbeards from reddit

[@norwoodreaper4932]

This man can win battle of the bands all by himself

[@elsopas8967]

And for our first contender we have! Every band in History! And for our second contender we have!: J O E

[@XmaEevee]

A one man band was already hard enough, but a one man parade is impossible. Bravo Joe!

[@thespectre5403]

Bravo indeed!

[@acumenfinito]

This is the world’s first analogue DAW, which was used exclusively for the highly popular genre of the time- fun house music

[@MbogaTatu]

Wouldn’t it be an AAW though? (Analog Audio Workstation)

[@eatbass8055]

​​@@MbogaTatu I think physical audio workstation flows off the tongue better

[@gremlin23_youtube]

@@MbogaTatu AAWesome

[@lachlanlandreth9069]

"In the beginning... there was house music... and house music had its own groove....."

[@Ebinspurdo]

So house music but fun?

[@cheshirecatalyst62]

This is the last Twitter engineer trying to keep it all together ...

[@Texicus_Reddicus]

This is Elon sat at his Owner of twitter laptop

[@tabryis]

Timeless tweet

[@okname5335]

NOT THE TWITTER!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! HUMANITY IS DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMEEEEDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@zakkthecactus351]

The last tf2 developer somehow keeping the game alive

[@rainbowresorts]

leaked footage of the splatoon 3 servers

[@albertdybowski7568]

Growing up in Poland (which was poor in the interwar period), I always thought that only instrument in silent cinemas was just a normal piano. I'm totally amazed with the Photoplayer.

[@stanisawstanczyk5526]

Same

[@thetheatreorgan168]

There was actually a wurlitzer pipe organ installed in a polish cinema. Currently it's in sh#t-shape, and is dismantled. IIRC its original home was the Colosseum theatre, but it was shuffled 'round a bunch of other theatres

[@nasutchi3080]

WE’RE MAKE IT OUT SILENT FILMS WITH THIS ONE 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@roquecandelariodanielalexa404]

This Is the exactly the kind of comment i was looking for Thanks lol

[@SuperConanBarbarian]

Can we just appreciate the ingenuity that went into inventing this musical contraption?

[@shaddoty]

Look up wurlitzer Band organs, similarly ridiculous

[@assmane999]

Yes. Yes we can

[@mumbles215]

Rube Goldberg would be proud.

[@STFCTAFF84]

Wife: Are you listening? My Brain:

[@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462]

This needs more likes.

[@galreserve2322]

@@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462 u got mine

[@britpackdog4545]

🤣🤣

[@75blackviking]

Also my brain.

[@hayescharles45]

Not sure what I'm in more awe of, that man's skill or what that machine can do. Good job gents

[@tsm688]

now that I know silent films have sound added by one man going absolutely apeshit, they will never look the same.

[@steelfistgaming4046]

@@tsm688 LANGUAGE

[@drew2dee2]

He's like a DJ but he's actually playing everything

[@coreaflame]

this is my favorite genre of instrument. just a doohickey

[@Grievous_Nix]

The contraption

[@mikemac6475]

Slap me sideways and call me nelly! That was amazing. It left me dumbfounded and amused all at the same time.

[@Margar02]

Well, smear my ears in jelly and tie me to an anthill!

[@ducktheshark1704]

Tug on my nose and throw me into a horse womb!

[@gorlix]

as a Gen Z specie, i will say that it was mid

[@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269]

@@gorlix L take

[@young7931]

​@@gorlix This is why your grandpa does not love you.

[@Virolaxion]

Someone needs to lend this instrument to some experimental band

[@vanlampham2557]

Wintergatan can’t compare to this, they need to use separate machines, some of them even use electricity, this is an all in one pack

[@PinkPanther4958]

Does it include Joe?

[@theshovelheart]

problem being the fotoplayer is all the instrument needed, with just one person trained to use it

[@jnbplaysgames]

​@@vanlampham2557 Martin's trying his best to make the solo package actually good (new Marble Machine) 😅

[@TurtleShroom3]

I WISH!

[@brokenordinance]

Joe not only hit it, he killed it! That was amazing! So cool to see such an interesting instrument played in such a fascinating manner. Not to mention the whimsical song that he gracefully and artfully played. I'm absolutely blown away.

[@chasesmith9681]

Joe now lives Rent free in my head. Now whenever i zone out it's just Joe playing this crazy instrument again.

[@Pianolaboy]

This tune is called Twelfth Street Rag by Euday Bowman.

[@sneaker_thistle]

its also on sponge bob kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6LOdHWmmrGHZ7M

[@saldefranco9362]

THIS is what I came here for. You are a national treasure!

[@wiremuwifebash]

spunch bob song

[@kaiserredgamer8943]

I believe this sounds like 'Auf und auf voll Lebenslust"

[@TurtleShroom3]

This makes me so happy to hear. I wish machines like this were still in use, but given the sheer age of this one alone, I doubt many more exist that are playable.

[@bloodykills7509]

I like to think that thanks to modern technology, this machine can be recreated

[@Joeh_]

​@@bloodykills7509 probably if someone or a couple people are up to it

[@rexjolles]

This guy Joe Rinaldo has a KZbin channel this American Photoplayer is one of the only few left. This is in his house bte

[@WolverineTime]

​@@bloodykills7509 most old things are not replaceable because the parts are unique and the people are dead. Same reason nasa gave for why we haven't gone back to the moon. We would need to redesign it all again.

[@adiktadoalamusika]

this reminded me of the self playing carousel orchestra band things. those make me feel nostalgic for some reason it feels like the instrument is filled with life

[@garrghhh]

That's amazingly great! I wasn't familiar with the term "photoplayer", and had never seen such an elaborate single-person setup for creating sound for theater / film. It seems along the lines of a stationary 'logical conclusion' version of the "one-man band" concept I've seen referenced and depicted in various forms, but fairly infrequently in recent decades. Love it - also has that "Rube Goldberg device" essence that makes it quite entertaining to watch in action in its own right. Feels like the only thing missing is an "Engineer's Cap" on the wizard operating the confounded contraption! 😄

[@Cptkiller2010]

That instrument looks like a lot of work to play, and also a lot of fun! Thank you for uploading this, I hope Joe is doing well in his life.

[@PleasantSludge]

This is exactly the instrument I want playing at my funeral.

[@SadTown99]

There is literally a comedy sketch of that scenario on the first season of ‘ I think You Should Leave ‘ with Tim Robinson 😂

[@PleasantSludge]

@@SadTown99 precisely

[@MAGNETO-i1i]

​@@SadTown99where can i find it????

[@KMEECHY]

This is the music that’s playing in my dog’s head 24/7

[@migzz7976]

Golden retriever

[@artgamechanger3841]

Facts!

[@hopsiepike]

Soundtrack for zoomies.

[@hiandrewfisher]

I'm a dog?

[@MAGNETO-i1i]

​@@hiandrewfisherYou are his dog

[@Fellamemes]

“Hit it joe” Joe proceeds to absolutely hit it as hard as humanly possible

[@king_chip_15]

9 years later I still keep coming back to play this a few times on repeat. Love it

[@nutcase202]

This thing needs to make a comeback! Imagine having the power of an entire marching band in your hands!

[@JimmySand9]

I’m glad Huell Howser found this before he passed, because I’m pretty sure he’s the only one who ever could have found such a thing.

[@worldsyoungestmermaidintra1885]

Me and my older brother love rewatching this video just for the slide whistle. It cracks us up every time

[@SirBoomNPew]

This is an instrument that is, ironically, more complex than the audio recording technology that would eventually replace it. Edit: Didn't realize I had to spell this out, but I'm talking about vinyl, not electronic audio.

[@johnr8820]

It’s so funny how true that is 😂

[@polarvortex6496]

Probably why it replaced it, honestly.

[@shaddoty]

Old church organs are infinitely more complex than modern digital equipment

[@bobsteve72]

@@shaddoty If those instruments (this thing and the pipe organ) are more complex than digital why were they created before it???

[@edpablo2635]

@@bobsteve72same thing as computers, old computers were enormous and cost a lot in maintenance and whatnot, newer computers pack more of a punch and are smaller, a modern electric piano could play church organ and so many other sounds, along with being much smaller and portable.

[@xaejn5011]

Joyous!!!!!🙂🙂🙂Glaggleland's anthem makes me so🙂🙂 happy🙂🙂🙂 and gleeful 🙂🙂🙂 it also 🙂

[@dialtone_]

wow ! glaggle surprise face png 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂help glaggle please help glaggle help help help help 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂sounds of beautiful glaggle symphony

[@xaejn5011]

​@dialtone_ SmileSmileSmileSmile 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂JoyJoyJoyousJoy🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 a wonderful piece of glagglemusic from the hearts of all gigglers 🙂🙂🙂🙂 be careful of any and all Enphoso activity, eradicate Enphoso or run away immediately if spotted 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

[@fatyoshi1456]

I hope no enphoso ruin this wonderful experience 🙂

[@xaejn5011]

@fatyoshi1456 it sure would be terrible and quite unjoyful if we were to experience enphoso activity at this time 🙂

[@BBeanz-zy8ji]

He must have the happiest grandchildren ever.

[@Pickle_man505]

​@@davesmith3023na he gets all the bitches

[@DJRonnieG]

This my be my "too much internet for today" moment, but this is actually quite lovely to watch.

[@thespectre5403]

lovely it was!

[@alexstewart9068]

I need that whistle effect for when I'm not feeling happy. Instant smiles.

[@daniel.holbrook]

American Fotoplayer. These were used to help provide the soundtrack to what we now somewhat erroneously call 'silent' films. Those piano rolls are fascinating to me. It's like a programming language in its own right, quite a ways before the dawn of computers as we know them

[@Mike28625]

The scroll probably is doing most of the work playing piano and drums. Joe is mostly running the bells and whistles. And now i think i know where that term "all the bells and whistles" originally comes from lol!

[@spencerfrankclayton4348]

We don't call them that erroneously; the films are silent. They had a live score, but the movies themselves had no sound.

[@romi9485]

I think it's closer to MIDI than an actual programming language, it's nevertheless very impressive for the time

[@justinklenk]

​@@Mike28625 Wow - you TOTALLY nailed that phrase's origins, right there - THAT was IT!!!👏👏👏👍

[@Woodland_Adventures]

The piano rolls are running the earliest form of computer script known to man. Bianary, 1's and 0's.

[@greenfire575]

the rides at glaggleland:

[@mothman6495]

that glognut got me fucked up

[@LaundryBunnie]

glaggleland live performance

[@theCreature773]

@@mothman6495 wait until you get to the gigglygoo. That shits wild 😩

[@maxhofacker3701]

This is what plays in my head whenever someone tries to explain the rules of a board game to me for the first time

[@matta7739]

Great work, Joe! Thank you for keeping this part of film history alive!

[@michaeltaylor1603]

How can you NOT have a good time watching this madcap Mayhem!

[@doctordiy]

Вот бы такого соседа через стенку!

[@Iambackdaddy]

Ха-ха, хорошо,

[@KataIIama]

Эта песня описывает то, что на самом деле происходит в Кремле

[@arnoldhernandez1910]

@@KataIIama💀

[@markyahuaca4777]

​@@KataIIama😂😂😂 from USA

[@danieldzyong3835]

​@@KataIIamaэто официальный саундтрек разборки вагинера с минобороны)

[@thecheck968]

Nice job Joe.

[@rileysheehan943]

This was my ringtone through at least half of high school, I nearly forgot about it until now, I'm so glad it found its way back to me!

[@Velereonics]

It brings me so much joy to know that we have documented proof of this man existing

[@MaulMachine]

Sometimes, you go hog fuckin' wild on a fotoplayer.

[@The_Hella_honker]

truly the goofiest instrument ever

[@HildeTheOkayish]

Finally my upstairs neighbour is getting the recognition he deserves

[@kurm7161]

Drake in the studio be like:

[@jjwkk2183]

This comment killed me

[@young7931]

Aight I say uh I say: 🔔🎹🎵🪵👏🛎📯🎻😙🍺

[@BenDover-ch9vg]

IM DEAD LAUGHING 😂

[@bigfatgoons]

drake type beat

[@polyduckwanaland]

1000% better than drake

[@Kyryyn_Lyyh]

If you ever are encountered with a particularly ugly element of our planet, take a moment - remember someone invented this machine. Gosh, even looking at him play was a treat.

[@facundotoledo5736]

This sir be casually dropping the most enchanting and heavenly piece of the finest art just for a video on the Internet for us to see

[@notveryintelligent6239]

“Yo Pierre, you wanna come out here”

[@bonesjones5692]

I love the “I think you should leave” sketch where they hire one of these guys for a funeral.

[@Supercat_Studios_Animations]

The man said, "Hit it, Joe!" Pointing to who we can only assume is called Joe. The odd fellow at the Photoplayer then proceeded to play a goofy tone. One that felt out of an old cartoon. Once it ended, we could all say that Joe did, in fact, hit it.

[@comradedyatlov199]

Redditor moment

[@chrissont4956]

This is the only vid on my sad times playlist. Forgot it existed and i feel 100x better now than before

[@nicholasrodriguez1359]

"Hit it Joe" Joe: *Saloon bar fight sound effects*

[@0knothing443]

Goes unbelievably hard 🔥🔥

[@WitchKing-Of-Angmar]

These songs were gorgeous back in the early 1920s silents. Beautifully chords and showcases.

[@zenten1266]

Finally, this video has found me again, after so long of searching.

[@simonjohansson248]

Loki: I have a 90 piece orchestra Tony Stark: We have Joe

[@samhersir]

Man can you imagine what it took to build this amazing machine! I want to own it 😂

[@keineahnung4331]

"HIT IT JOE!" Joe: *proceeds to create an masterpiece*

[@ormanay]

Man conducted an orchestra and a train all at once, that was truly unique to me!

[@professorkirby9079]

This is truly a forgotten gem