After visiting George Bogatko's home page (www.intac.com/~gbogatko/) I
was struck with an idea.  George uses streaming MPEG to allow visitors to
hear, full-length, pieces played on actual instruments.  Therein was my
idea born!  I would like to propose --

    The Virtual Academy of Mechanical Musical Instruments

(The name heretofore copyright by me :>)  My idea is not just a page
of click-able pictures and sound bites...no!  What I think we would all
benefit from is a resource that would include educational materials
(workshops on-line?) ; a "business school" for trading and selling -
valuation of instruments and how to appraise their worth; a Museum of
History that would show us details - photos, diagrams, history and
sounds that would really show off some of these fine old instruments,
a School of Music for composition and arrangement; and so on.

This project will require cooperation from people of our interest area
from all over the world and conformity to a standard that is generally
agreed upon.  In particular, we must draw from those who have worked in
restoration of such instruments as well as authors of books on the
subject.  We will need to gain permission to photo/audio shoot instru-
ments from private collections.  We will need the latest reproduction
technology explained and more.

This project will be enormous and span many computers in many countries.
I propose that we assemble (via Internet) a steering committee to tackle
the bigger issues such as corporate sponsorship, advertisements of clubs
or groups, standards and design, etc.  Further, we will need volunteers
to assist with the collection of materials as well as those who can
devote some disk space to making the project a reality.

I will be glad to get the project rolling (no pun toward player pianos
intended), but help is needed.  Any volunteers?

Steve Matta¶
stevematta@mindspring.com

 [ A fine and ambitious idea, Steve.  Could this be partly realized with
 [ links to cooperating sites -- a "Distributed Academy"?
 [  -- Robbie