I agree completely with the Rhodes codes.  I would also add we should
extend our system to be as versatile as we can make it.  These other
items are to provoke your thought processes.  Note the following:

1.  The system MUST be fully MIDI compatible and NOT just for someone who
has an antique instrument to run.

2.  The system should go to at least the Aeolian 176-hole standard but
with the ability of adding a third or fourth 61-note manual.  There can
be a larger bandwidth or there can be a multiplexer hole (bit) that
changes one set of holes from Great to Manual III or IV. This is just
like the Welte Philharmonic which uses the Accompaniment manual holes
to play pedal IF the pedal hole opened a half a second earlier than the
note.  This could be done with less conflict for manual changes since a
live performer seldom plays on more than 2 manuals at once.  My organ
teacher excluded.

3.  By following the previous ideas, new data can easily be generated by
top notch performers of organ, piano or whatever and stored in the same
format as the antique performances.  This will allow great expansion of
what can be cut on roll.

These suggestions will allow a roll cutter to automatically reconfigure
ANY data to ANY format and then cut it into roll form.  Each format would
have its cookie cutter of the notes that it uses without limiting us to
one system that records 65 note or Philharmonic rolls and another that
records Rolmonica rolls.  The next generation of roll cutter must be
able to cut two or three copies wide of a roller organ roll on the same
system that next would cut a 65 or 88 note or Duo Art Organ roll.  The
only variation should be the width of the paper fed into the cutter.

4.  One MIDI channel or more should record stops as in a pipe organ.
This will enable it to integrate with Devtronix type computer relay organ
systems.  There will be other uses for these channels later as other
devices can be configured to control sounds in the MIDI realm.  One other
system, the Kimball Standard Philharmonic roll, used pre-programmed
pistons on the roll that were hard wired in the relay rather than pulling
on one stop at a time per hole.

5.  What if a laser were to scan across the roll in small widths at a high
rate of speed that would read every hairline tear, chain perf, and word
or marking on the roll?  A laser could be configured to do so at a speed
that would read the roll at a faster-than-normal-play speed.  If this
scan were 1/32" wide it would catch the shape of the hole, whether it is
round or square.  Talk about precision.  This same technology is used
each time you shop at the grocery and your cashier scans your UPC codes.
Does anyone out there work with cash register scanners?

 [ Wayne Stahnke's optical scanner does all of that, and also detects
 [ dark wood chips, grease spots, and other aberrations in the paper.
 [ But it can't detect transparent tape repairs -- that's when the old
 [ pneumatic system is needed!  His optical scanner easily registers the
 [ scalloped points of chain perforations.  -- Robbie

The ultimate system must be able to record every possible method of
playing music that we can think of.  If it is done right it should be
able to record even things that we cannot think of yet as well.

D. L. Bullock

 [ Whew!  You have ambitious ideas, D. L., but I suggest that the
 [ immediate task be limited to simply preserving the old music
 [ (and perhaps punching some replica rolls for confirmation),
 [ and leave for another project the adaptations and conversions.
 [ Otherwise we might go astray!  -- Robbie