After reading the latest and greatest way to modify a reproducer for
soft playing with expression (Forget the fact that all D/A's have a
"Soft" position), Why not go whole hog and just tear out the expression
box underneath, because you won't need it anymore. Here is the latest
device.

   Bore a 1" hole through the plate, the soundboard, etc. in line with
the lid prop cup. You mount a giant multi-leaved hinged pneumatic under
the piano and attach your new (extra-long) lid prop to that. Get some
really big valves. As the roll calls for expression, the lid flies up
and down accordingly. Pete Knobloch will also tell you that this
certainly makes quite a difference on his professional quality ANSI db
meter, too, and everybody is happy. You have the musicians happy,
because they don't really care how you get expression, you have the
non-musicians happy, because they now have something very fascinating
to watch, and you have the roll companies happy, because some of their
rolls literally attempt to make the player fly off the floor like a big
one-winged bat, so everybody will want those!

Craig B.