3 ms·

I seem to remember a while ago there was a program featured on - maybe Slate - that had a much more impressive output, but I think it was actually played by a h

by jim_dot 16y ago

I seem to remember a while ago there was a program featured on - maybe Slate - that had a much more impressive output, but I think it was actually played by a human and just written by a computer.

jacquesm 16y ago
That would at least get away from the 'player piano' sound, but it wouldn't fix the problems with the composition. In Amsterdam there is a small, and relatively unknown museum full of pianolas (player pianos) run by Kasper Janse. I know the guy because I once found a pianola somewhere and it ended up in his museum. When I delivered it there he took me through the rooms and showed me his machines, one by one and I told him I could close my eyes and pick out any pianola compared to the 'real' thing (a person playing). So he showed me his 'piece the resistance'. A one-off, a machine constructed to be the 'state-of-the-art' in modern recording technology. It featured a roll played by Rachmaninoff himself, with as many parameters captured as possible, including stroke velocity, pedals, the works, and at a ridiculously high sample rate (for the day, at least). The effect was amazing, it was as though the ghost of Rachmaninoff had come to life and even while writing this I still get gooseflesh. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen in music, and it was lightyears ahead of the compact discs of today in terms of delivery. What an amazing sound. And, if you've never seen a 'player piano' at work, the keys move as though invisible fingers press them down. The reason there is only one of those machines (and very very few rolls, they had to be 'recorded' by virtuoso players instead of 'punched') is that the phonograph happened. If you're ever in Amsterdam, well worth a visit: http://www.pianola.nl/Pianola_Museum/Homepage.html http://www.pianola.nl/Pianola_Museum/Homepage.html
- joe_bleau 16y ago
  Conlon Nancarrow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conlon_Nancarrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conlon_Nancarrow) did some really wild stuff with similar pianos (technically, I think they're called reproducing instead of player). His stuff is so complex that it's impossible to humanly play, so punching paper was his only option. I'd certainly consider him a hacker in that regard.
  - jacquesm 16y ago
    talk about complex to play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCPjK4nGY4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCPjK4nGY4 eerie! You're correct about the 'reproducing pianos', I didn't know the correct English term.

by jim_dot 16y ago

I seem to remember a while ago there was a program featured on - maybe Slate - that had a much more impressive output, but I think it was actually played by a human and just written by a computer.

jacquesm 16y ago

That would at least get away from the 'player piano' sound, but it wouldn't fix the problems with the composition. In Amsterdam there is a small, and relatively unknown museum full of pianolas (player pianos) run by Kasper Janse. I know the guy because I once found a pianola somewhere and it ended up in his museum. When I delivered it there he took me through the rooms and showed me his machines, one by one and I told him I could close my eyes and pick out any pianola compared to the 'real' thing (a person playing). So he showed me his 'piece the resistance'. A one-off, a machine constructed to be the 'state-of-the-art' in modern recording technology. It featured a roll played by Rachmaninoff himself, with as many parameters captured as possible, including stroke velocity, pedals, the works, and at a ridiculously high sample rate (for the day, at least). The effect was amazing, it was as though the ghost of Rachmaninoff had come to life and even while writing this I still get gooseflesh. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen in music, and it was lightyears ahead of the compact discs of today in terms of delivery. What an amazing sound. And, if you've never seen a 'player piano' at work, the keys move as though invisible fingers press them down. The reason there is only one of those machines (and very very few rolls, they had to be 'recorded' by virtuoso players instead of 'punched') is that the phonograph happened. If you're ever in Amsterdam, well worth a visit: http://www.pianola.nl/Pianola_Museum/Homepage.html http://www.pianola.nl/Pianola_Museum/Homepage.html

joe_bleau 16y ago
Conlon Nancarrow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conlon_Nancarrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conlon_Nancarrow) did some really wild stuff with similar pianos (technically, I think they're called reproducing instead of player). His stuff is so complex that it's impossible to humanly play, so punching paper was his only option. I'd certainly consider him a hacker in that regard.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  talk about complex to play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCPjK4nGY4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCPjK4nGY4 eerie! You're correct about the 'reproducing pianos', I didn't know the correct English term.