self tuning piano????

[Richard Brekne]

I gotta aggree in principle with my esteemed colleagues from Love Canal NY and
Port Morpheus Wa. Tho I would like to point out that such a device would be
quite uninteresting unless it could near instantaneously re-adjust on the fly
any given tone in real time based on cybreal input directly from the brain.
That way a whole new kind of piano music would be made available. One could
play in any given temperament one wanted... or one could for the first time
play any piece exclusively with pure intervals. Or for the more modern minded
one get get really creative with some advanced micro tuning affects.

Untill then I think that old Martha Washington will still prefer to have her
tea with the neighborhood piano tuner. :)

RicB

 David Love wrote:

>I don't see the self tuning piano as so far fetched.  I don't relish the
>idea.  But certainly the technology exists to sample each note and
>determine it's optimum place (Verituner, e.g.).  Having a machine built
>into the piano which can individually adjust the tension of each string
>and hold it there is not an insurmountable task (though it might be easier
>on an upright).  The piano wouldn't need to be in "tune" mode all the
>time--having it trying to tune itself while being played might be a bit of
>an annoyance.  No question there are technical problems to overcome, and
>I'm not an engineer, but they seem small when compared to other technical
>accomplishments of this century.  Cost/benefit might be a factor, but then
>I remember when a PC cost $6000.00, and it didn't do a fraction of what a
>$399.00 computer will do today.  
>
>
Richard Brekne
RPT NPTF
Griegakadamiet UiB