Misplaced Pages

#78921

41-468: The first practical pneumatic piano player, manufactured by the Aeolian Company and called the "Pianola", was invented in 1896 by Edwin S. Votey , and came into widespread use in the 20th century. The name "pianola", sometimes used as a generic name for any player piano, came from this invention. The mechanism of this player piano was all-pneumatic: foot-operated bellows provided a vacuum to operate

82-502: A MIDI interface that enables computers to drive the piano directly for more advanced operations. The MIDI files can trigger solenoids , which use electric current to drive small mechanical plungers mounted to the key action inside the piano. Live performance or computer generated music can be recorded in MIDI file format for accurate reproduction later on such instruments. MIDI files containing converted antique piano-rolls can be purchased on

123-513: A few years. In England, the Aeolian Company continued to sell classical material, and customers remained willing to contribute to performances by following directions printed on the rolls and operate the hand and foot controls themselves. Sydney Grew, in his manual The Art of the Piano Player , published in London in 1922, said that "it takes about three years to make a good player-pianist of

164-711: A man or woman of average musical intelligence. It takes about seven years to make a good pianist, or organist, or singer". Word rolls never became popular in England, as they cost 20% more than non-word rolls. As a result, post-World War I American and British roll collections looked very different. In the early 1950s, player pianos and other instruments of the 1920s and earlier became collectable. An enthusiast, Frank Holland, who had collected player pianos while working in Canada, returned to England and held meetings of like-minded enthusiasts at his house in London. In 1959 this gathering

205-556: A mechanical engineer and salesman for the newly formed Whitney Organ Company. He was in a management position. Clark J. Whitney and Votey were the initial owners of the company. William R. Farrand joined them a few months after the company was organized and became the company's Secretary/Treasurer. Whitney sold all of his equity interest in the firm to Votey and Farrand in 1890. The Detroit company reorganized to become Farrand & Votey Organ Company . It bought out Granville Wood Pipe Organ Company at that time. Votey took off six months for

246-623: A newly established Baptist church there. He lived in this town until 1879. Votey went to the local public schools in Ovid and West Brattleboro for his initial formal education. Votey started his first full-time job as a clerk for the Estey Organ Company in Brattleboro in 1873. He became a salesman for them in 1877. Votey's interest in organs and their construction was sparked with this company. He moved to Detroit in 1883 to become

287-737: A piano performance using floppy disk as a storage medium. The Piano Player was replaced in 1987 by the Yamaha Disklavier and since 1998, the Disklavier PRO models are capable of capturing and reproducing "high-resolution" piano performances of up to 1024 velocity levels and 256 increments of positional pedaling using Yamaha's proprietary XP (Extended Precision) MIDI specification. Almost all modern player pianos use MIDI to interface with computer equipment. Most modern player pianos come with an electronic device that can record and playback MIDI files on floppy disks and/or CD-ROMs , and

328-526: A pneumatic motor and drive the take-up spool, while each small inrush of air through a hole in the paper roll was amplified in two stages to sufficient strength to strike a note . Votey advertised the Pianola widely, making unprecedented use of full-page color advertisements. It was sold initially for $ 250, and then other, cheaper makes were launched. A standard 65-note format evolved, with 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 -inch-wide (290 mm) rolls and holes spaced 6 to

369-433: A set of small pneumatics that were exposed to this suction as a result of air passing through the holes of the rolled paper. The air received on the other side from a particular hole in the perforated scroll roll activated a valve to expose the pneumatic to suction, and through a set of linkage arms to ultimately trigger a small felt covered wooden lever, acting like a finger, that struck the corresponding correct piano key. As

410-588: A song through a programmed perforated paper roll. The mechanism was given the name Pianola and was made commercially available to the public in 1898. The original was given to the Smithsonian Museum . Votey was born in Ovid, New York , on June 8, 1856. His father was Charles Votey, a Baptist pastor. Votey moved with his family to West Brattleboro, Vermont in April 1873. His father had been put in charge of

451-522: Is a British music upcomer on the player piano market offering totally bespoke pianos, available in luxury department store Harrods since 2017 and according to the Financial Times YouTube channel 'How to Spend it', Edelweiss is "regarded as the most upmarket of today's breed of the self-playing piano". A player piano is not an electric piano , electronic piano , or a digital piano . The distinction between these instruments lies in

SECTION 10

#1732780950079

492-404: Is a piano that contains a manually controlled, pneumatically operated piano player mechanism. The operator manipulates control levers to produce a musical performance. Various aids were developed: Music rolls for pneumatic player pianos, often known as piano rolls, consist of a continuous sheet of paper rolled on to a spool. The spool fits into the player piano spool box whereupon the free end of

533-423: The reproducing piano include the use of magnetic tape and floppy disks , rather than piano rolls, to record and play back the music; and, in the case of one instrument made by Bösendorfer , computer assisted playback. In 1982, Yamaha Corporation introduced the " Piano Player ", which was the first mass-produced, commercially available reproducing piano that was capable of digitally capturing and reproducing

574-621: The Duo-Art (1914). Artrio-Angelus also introduced a reproducing player from 1916. When World War I came in 1914, German patents were seized in the US. In England, Aeolian had a huge factory and sales network and easily outsold the Ampico. Other makers of Reproducing systems, Hupfeld Meisterspiel DEA (1907) and Philipps Duca (c 1909), were successful in Europe. Hupfeld perfected an 88 note reproducing system,

615-487: The German army had the war continued beyond 1918. Votey in 1895 invented the first practical self playing mechanical piano that played complete musical performances by means of perforated paper rolls patterned for a particular piece of music. The cabinet device could be attached to and removed from a typical piano. Prototype testing for manufacturing the product started at the end of 1896 by Aeolian Company . In 1897, at

656-502: The Internet. As of 2006, several player piano conversion kits are available (PianoDisc, PNOmation, etc.), allowing the owners of normal pianos to convert them into computer controlled instruments. The conversion process usually involves cutting open the bottom of the piano to install mechanical parts under the keyboard, although one organization— Logos Foundation —has manufactured a portable, external kit. A new player piano conversion kit

697-882: The Musical Box Society International (MBSI) and the Automatic Musical Instruments Collector's Association (AMICA) in the USA. The revival of interest in player pianos in the 1960s led to renewed production. Aeolian revived the Pianola, this time in a small spinet piano suited to post-war housing, and other manufacturers followed. QRS offered a traditional player piano in its Story and Clark piano. Early enthusiasts could often get by with limited patching and repairs, although original 1920s instruments could still be found in working order. Complete rebuilding of old instruments to original condition became possible. A player piano

738-506: The Triphonola, in 1919, and around 5% of players sold were Reproducing Pianos. In America by the end of the decade, the new 'jazz age' and the rise of the fox-trot confirmed the player piano as the instrument of popular music, with classical music increasingly relegated to the reproducing piano. Most American roll companies stopped offering large classical catalogs before 1920, and abandoned 'instrumental' rolls (those without words) within

779-628: The accompaniment. Sales grew rapidly, and with the instruments now relatively mature, in this decade a wider variety of rolls became available. Two major advances were the introduction of the hand-played roll, both classical and popular, and the word roll. The other major advance was the arrival in America of two commercial rivals for the Welte-Mignon Reproducing Piano: the Ampico (from 1911 but fully 're-enacting' by 1916) and

820-553: The age of 41, Votey became vice president of the company. Votey filed his patent application for the piano player on January 25, 1897. It was issued to him on May 22, 1900. The self playing mechanical piano device was put into full production and introduced to the public in 1898. It was a mechanical piano player and received the name Pianola by the Aeolian Company, which was their trademark. The company came out with their first Pianola catalog in 1898 that introduced their new line of Pianola products. Votey's first Pianola piano player

861-548: The building also houses a concert hall which doubles as a cinema that seats up to 240 people, and a cafe. Mostly run by volunteers, the museum is open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays . Guided tours are available, which include live demonstrations of the instruments. The museum also stages regular concerts and events, dances and screenings of both contemporary and silent films, often featuring their Wurlitzer Cinema Organ. Many of their events are broadcast live to their YouTube channel: Musical Museum Live . The Museum

SECTION 20

#1732780950079

902-472: The foremost pianists and composers of the day to record their performances on a piano roll. This allowed owners of player pianos to experience a professional performance in their own homes on their own instruments, exactly as the original pianist had played it. Aeolian introduced Metrostyle in 1901 and the Themodist in 1904, the Themodist being an invention which was said to bring out the melody clearly above

943-429: The history of music reproduction; inform, engage and entertain the public regarding the evolution of music reproduction; and conserve, preserve, promote and present the theatre pipe organ as an instrument with a significant role in the development of light music on radio and in the cinema and as a musical art form. The Musical Museum contains a significant collection of self-playing musical instruments, and one of

984-479: The inch, although several player manufacturers used their own form of roll incompatible with other makes. By 1903, the Aeolian Company had more than 9,000 roll titles in their catalog, adding 200 titles per month. Many companies' catalogs ran to thousands of rolls, mainly consisting of light, religious, or classical music. Ragtime music also featured.. Melville Clark introduced two important features to

1025-399: The industry standard. Music is programmed via a number of methods. The player piano sold globally in its heyday, and music rolls were manufactured extensively in the US, as well as most European countries, South America, Australia and New Zealand. A large number of titles from all manufacturers survive to this day, and rolls still turn up regularly in large quantities. It was reported that

1066-491: The interest of his company in 1890 and went to Europe to study the construction of pipe and reed organs. His reed organ manufacturing company then had added pipe organs to its line of products. Votey had over twenty patents on pianos and organs and related items. He invented or co-invented several inventions used in World War I. One of note was a pilotless airplane that was going to be used to drop bombs and explosives on

1107-607: The last remaining mass producer of piano rolls in the world, QRS Music, temporarily halted production of the rolls on December 31, 2008. However, QRS Music still list themselves as the only roll manufacturer remaining, and claim to have 45,000 titles available with "new titles being added on a regular basis". The Musical Museum in Brentford, London, England houses a nationally significant collection of piano rolls, with over 20,000 rolls, as well as an extensive collection of instruments which may be seen and heard. Later developments of

1148-402: The music sheet is hooked onto the take-up spool which will unwind the roll at an even pace across the reading mechanism (the " tracker bar ") The music score to be played is programmed onto the paper by means of perforations. Different player systems have different perforation sizes, channel layouts and spool fittings though the majority conform to one or two predominant formats latterly adopted as

1189-422: The organ field all his adult life and had over twenty patents. He invented or co-invented several inventions for World War I. One was a pilotless airplane that was going to be used to drop bombs on the enemy but was never used. He invented the first practical piano player in 1895. It was a cabinet-like box mechanism attached to a conventional piano that automatically played the piano. It was foot operated and played

1230-616: The player piano matured in America, an inventor in Germany, Edwin Welte, was working on a player which would reproduce all aspects of a performance automatically, so that the machine would play back a recorded performance exactly as if the original pianist were sitting at the piano keyboard. Known as a Reproducing Piano, this device, the Welte-Mignon , was launched in 1904. It created new marketing opportunities, as manufacturers could now get

1271-439: The player piano: the full-scale roll which could play every note on the piano keyboard, and the internal player as standard. By the end of the decade, the piano player device and the 65-note format became obsolete. This caused problems for many small manufacturers, who had already invested in 65-note player operations, ultimately resulting in rapid consolidation in the industry. A new, full-scale roll format, playing all 88 notes,

Player piano - Misplaced Pages Continue

1312-546: The roll of perforated paper spun around on its axis the small punched out holes patterned for a music piece passed the air through that triggered the mechanical fingers that played the music. Several examples of Votey's player piano products may be seen and heard at the Musical Museum in Brentford, London, England. Votey was a director at the Detroit First National Bank and Trust Company. He

1353-567: The way sounds are produced. A player piano is an acoustic piano where the sound is produced by hammer strikes on the piano strings. Electrical components in post-pneumatic versions are limited to moving the keys or hammers mimicking the actions of a person; sound is not generated or amplified electronically. Edwin S. Votey Edwin Scott Votey (June 8, 1856 – January 21, 1931) was an American businessman, inventor, industrial designer, and manufacturer of pianos and organs. He worked in

1394-432: The world's largest collections of historic musical rolls. The museum houses rare working specimens of player pianos , orchestrions , reed organs , and violin players. The largest exhibits include a fully restored Wurlitzer theatre organ (attached to a roll-playing mechanism and Steinway grand piano) and a 12-rank roll-playing residence pipe organ . The instruments and exhibits are arranged in three main galleries;

1435-893: Was a board member at the Detroit National Lock Washer Company. Votey was an officer at the State Title and Mortgage Company. He retired from business in April 1930 and went to his vacation summer home at Lake Dunmore in July. Soon after arriving he became ill and went to the Porter Hospital at Middlebury, Vermont . In September 1930, he returned to his permanent residence in Summit, New Jersey . Votey's health continued to deteriorate from then on. He died at his home in Summit on January 21, 1931. Votey

1476-481: Was agreed at an industry conference in Buffalo, New York in 1908 at the so-called Buffalo Convention . This kept the 11 1 ⁄ 4 -inch roll, but now had smaller holes spaced at 9 to the inch. This meant that any player piano could now play any make of roll. This consensus was crucial for avoiding a costly format war , which plagued almost every other form of entertainment medium that followed roll music. While

1517-562: Was formalized as 'The Player Piano Group', and in the early 1960s Holland founded the British Piano Museum (now the Musical Museum ) in Brentford. In America, another collector, Harvey Roehl, published a book called Player Piano Treasury in 1961. This sold in large numbers and was followed by books published by Roehl's Vestal Press on how to rebuild and restore the instruments. Other societies were formed worldwide to preserve and study all aspects of mechanical music, among them

1558-585: Was founded in 1963 by Frank Holland MBE (1910–1989) as The British Piano Museum, who believed that self-playing musical instruments should be preserved and played. In 1975, he was interviewed for the TV Show 'Going Places', in which he reminisced about reading an article about there being about eight-hundred abandoned churches in Britain, so he decided to find a suitable one to house the instruments, 'St.George's', Brentford. He later wrote of his experiences in

1599-458: Was given to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., on December 2, 1922. The large as a piano device was a cabinet-like box mechanism that was pushed up to and attached to a conventional piano. The piano player mechanism was operated by the performer with their feet pushing pedals for the power needed to make the device work by generating suction. The inside of the device consisted of

1640-508: Was introduced in 2007-08 by Wayne Stahnke, the inventor of the Bösendorfer SE reproducing system, called the "LX". As of 2023 Steinway manufactures a player piano based on Wayne Stahnke's Live Performance LX system, which was sold to Steinway in 2014 and re-branded as Spirio. Unlike other piano brands, a recording option was not originally available, but in 2019 Steinway introduced Spirio | r models, which can also record. Edelweiss

1681-460: Was married in 1878 to Annie M. Gray and they had three children, Charles, Fanny, and Edwina. Musical Museum, Brentford The Musical Museum is a charity, museum and concert venue located in Brentford , London Borough of Hounslow , a few minutes' walk from Kew Bridge railway station . Its stated purpose is to conserve, preserve, and develop nationally important collections related to

Player piano - Misplaced Pages Continue

#78921