Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > February 1998 > 1998.02.05 > 09Prev  Next


Empeco Expression Piano
By John Phillips

[ reprinted from Digest 960924, "Empeco Mystery Solved?" ]

A couple of months ago I asked MMD subscribers if anyone new anything
about Empeco Expression rolls.  Several people very kindly responded
but no-one was able to produce much solid information.

I think I've found the answer; on my own bookshelf!  I was looking up
the nominal widths of various piano rolls and there on page 102 of
Treasures of Mechanical Music by Art Reblitz and David Bowers (Vestal
Press, 1981) was the following:

EMPECO EXPRESSION PIANOS

The Empeco system, popular in Europe but virtually unknown in America,
was used by Philipps, Kastner and several other European manufacturers
in the same manner that the Recordo system in America was installed in
different piano makes.  While most Empeco pianos were made for home
use, some Empeco systems were installed in coin-operated instruments
for use in public locations.

    EMPECO ROLL (Expression roll)

        1       Mezzoforte
        2       Decrescendo
        3       Mandolin off/on
        4       Sustaining pedal
        5       Bass accent
        6 - 91, 86 playing notes
        92      Rewind
        93      Shutoff
        94      Treble accent
        95      Crash decrescendo
        96      Treble crash
        97      Cancel
        98      Mezzo piano

Hole 3 has three vertical holes in the tracker bar which are
multiplexed to turn the mandolin on and off.

That's it from Art and David.  I could add that my four rolls have
snakebite accent perfs and play perfectly well on my Themodist upright
pedal player .  I guess that means that the thin horizontal slots on a
Themodist tracker bar are at holes 5 and 94.

I do have a few ordinary Empeco classical rolls.  These are just like
most other makes of European classical player rolls.  They are themed
but they don't have a Metrostyle line.

John Phillips.


(Message sent Wed 25 Sep 1996, 00:40:20 GMT, from time zone GMT+1000.)

Key Words in Subject:  Empeco, Expression, Piano

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page