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MMD > Archives > May 1996 > 1996.05.30 > 01Prev  Next


Advances in Synths
By Robbie Rhodes

to: "rolls@foxtail.com"
to: "jrhodes@teleport.com (John Rhodes, Vancouver, Wash.)"
to: "drhodes@IslandNet.com (Douglas K. Rhodes, Victoria, B.C.)"
to: "rrhodes@foxtail.com (Robbie Rhodes, Etiwanda, Calif.)"

It seems that new technology is appearing in pianos as unpredictably as it appears in automobiles -- sometimes it's marketed prematurely. (Have the piano companies recalled any products lately??)


- - - - - - - - -

forwarded from John Rhodes:

Regarding the difficulties of producing a synthesizer keyboard which _feels_ like a real keyboard:

Would it be practical to sample the _touch_ of a 9' Steinway, and use feedback to a motor on each key of the synth keyboard to simulate that touch? "Motor" in this case would be a voice coil, or some other solenoid form.

It seems to me we have the technology; it's not so clear that it could be harnessed and packaged into a salable product. But what an impact it could have on the synth market if it were practical!

[ It would be a helluva practice piano! -- Robbie ]

- - - - - - - - -

forwarded from Doug Rhodes:

A few years ago I walked into a music store, where a salesman button-holed me to hear a demo of one of the latest generation of electronic pianos with sampled waveforms.

"This tone was sampled from a nine foot Steinway concert grand piano," he declared proudly.

As we listened to the sound coming from the speakers, which was not unlike a very poorly voiced Korean upright, the salesman said, "If you turn your back, you can't tell the difference from a real Steinway."

So I turned my back and said, "You're talking to the wrong guy," and walked out!

(Message sent Thu 30 May 1996, 05:22:25 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Advances, Synths

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