self tuning piano????

[Richard Oliver Snelson]

Well said Bill Ballard.
Rich
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Ballard" <yardbird@pop.vermontel.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: self tuning piano????


> At 5:37 PM -0500 7/1/02, Ron Nossaman wrote:
> >Very likely, as accurate as necessary to more than satisfy most folks.
>
> You've got to remember, there are people who enjoy accordians.
>
> >And once the adjustment and measurement of the results of the
adjustment cycle
> >is workable, what's to prohibit uploadable and downloadable custom
tunings
> >at the push of a button?
>
> Buy 'em like fonts from QRS. Or buy a utility of convert a
> spreadsheet file and make ('n'trade) your own.
>
> >How about dynamic special effects?
>
> The ingenious part in this system is the rapid conversion of the
> analog signal (amperage in the wires) to digital. Once digital,
> Yamaha's new technology comes into play, the midi/firewire DisKlavier
> Mark VI. The amperage in the piano wire directly drives the real-time
> digital waveform which can be supplied to the workstation on the OS
> of your choice. A giant step forward for mankind, that ability to
> plug your digital effects apps directly into a real live, organic
> waveform. At least a great step forward for computer gamers.
>
> >Slide piano, anyone - or is that just
> >another bottleneck? <G>
>
> Don't laugh, there are trombonists for whom the slide is an
bottle-neck.
>
> I too, read the entire article in the recent PTJ. It's clear that
> nobody involved in the project has spent too much time in a piano
> factory, or out in the service market. Once their first prototypes
> get out there for two/three years of being thermally tuned and played
> uponst, the wire set will have sagged/stretched enough that the 50¢
> tuning load he calculated would have to be used just to reach upwards
> to A440. "Couple tree years, it might be more than 50¢ flat, in its
> ambient and unelectrified  state. Even with regular "plug-in
> tunings", there ought to be at least that much stretch in the fresh
> wire to make A440 a real long reach for that ambient/off pitch.
>
> Sure I'm impressed, a 50¢ pitch raise and fine tuning in under 2
> minutes, and it gets you a nice little radiator for those cold, damp
> March afternoons besides. But if you do some heavy lifting, like
> 150-200¢ pitch raises, does the wattage go up geometrically or
> exponentially. Is there a fire hazard, and can we be sure the
> background  radiation coming with the predominant InfraRed does not
> cause brain tumors? He didn't mention whether it had its UL-listing
> yet.
>
> That's when, the regional airport limo brings in the Factory Re-Tuner
> (accept not substitutes), to do a manual tuning (again, locked upon
> completion). That might be official Rolls Royce Service, but I hope
> that the Story&Clark  itself is Roll Royce enough to reward the new
> owners. I hopethe piano is up to the challenge. I wish them luck. I
> don't know what the market is for such a self-tuner, but maybe it'll
> get National Piano Month back on Geraldo.
>
> I'm actually not worried by the thought of this new labor-saving
> (that's us, mind you) device. Take In Vitro Fertilization. We've had
> it for 10, 15 years. But I don't see any sign that the general
> population, even after seeing the clear advantages of IVF, has
> gleefully abandoned the time-honored (and honored in the breach)
> conception ritual for this "we'll-call-you-when-it's-ready" service.
>
> Tuning? It really does take a good human being and a good piano. Same
> with the Marines.
>
> Bill Ballard RPT
> NH Chapter, P.T.G.
>
> "She will slap you, she will kiss you,
>          you will fall in love with her"
>      ...........from a promotional t-shirt
>        for Kendrick rock'n'roll amps. (YUK)
> +++++++++++++++++++++
>