MMD > Archives > October 1996 > 1996.10.15 > 11Prev  Next


88-Note Test Roll Not Exercising All 88 Notes
By Karl Ellison

I was curious as to why 88-note test rolls didn't test all 88 notes. I
posed the question  to QRS in Buffalo and received the following
answer:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> Since piano rolls were first produced at the turn of the century,
> manufacturers of rolls have had to accomodate the various player
> producer's placement of automatic reroll signal positions. As these
> include note positions below and including low "C" and  above and
> including high "A", we have refrained from arranging music which
> includes these notes. Therefore, we don't include them in our "88" note
> test roll as they would trip the reroll on various pianos. The term
> "88" is used to distinguish the roll standard spacing as opposed to
> "65" note rolls.
>
> We no longer make a roll which would test all 88 notes and don't know
> anyone else who does, although they have been produced in the past and
> turn up occasionally.
>
> Nothing, however, should stop you from altering our roll with an
> Exacto- Knife to make those extra notes play if you wished. Sounds like
> a fun project to me.
>
> FKW@QRS

- K a r l   B.   E l l i s o n
  Ashland, Massachusetts  U.S.A.
  KBEllison@aol.com
  http://members.aol.com/kbellison/kbe.html



(Message sent Tue, 15 Oct 1996 19:00:49 -0400 , from time zone -0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  88, 88-Note, All, Exercising, Not, Notes, Roll, Test