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MMD > Archives > October 1997 > 1997.10.29 > 11Prev  Next


Pianolist Instructions via Video Tape
By Dan Wilson, London

Jim Edwards said about pianola-playing instructions:

> I do not feel that a booklet is what is needed at all but a good
> videotape of someone like Rex Lawson or Dan Wilson at a pianola.
> These pianolists can explain their controls and controls found
> on other typical upright players and then move into a slow measure
> by measure playing and explanation of a short composition put
> onto a roll cut by Mike Boyd.

(Hey, Jim, thanks !  We do our best !)

We've looked at this recently in the Friends of the Pianola Institute and
the big obstacle is that some poor soul has got to finance the thing.  A
professionally-made video costs around $1500 an hour to get made.  Then
you'd need to master the roll (Rex could do that with one hand behind his
back) and order a stock.  Mike Boyd, I think, cuts in batches of eight,
or Rex is computerising Keystone at this moment.

I put the "now" market at no more than 20 or 25 in the UK and maybe 50 in
the US, with a very good "dribble" sale over the ensuing years, because
you could sell a few copies wherever there was a demo or a recital.

I personally feel that you'd only need one good TV program on the
potential of the player, with a section of tuition, and there'd be a
complete renaissance.  But the piano needs to be good, but _good___,
and that's best achieved by using a pushup -- and the 88-note push-up
pumpers are as rare as hen's teeth.  Why can't we all have Steinway
pumper grands ? ...

Dan Wilson, London

 [ Could you make a simple audio cassette?  -- Robbie


Key Words in Subject:  Instructions, Pianolist, Tape, via, Video

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