What are the reasons (historical and practical) for the chaining patterns
used on so many piano rolls?  As long as the bridging is short enough to
not drop the valve, what difference does the pattern between the note
beginning and end have.  I can see how the very first part might effect
valve acceleration, but after the hammer has hit the string, what do all
the patterns do other than warp the paper and cause slurred chords.  How
would people feel about recuts that did not duplicate these patterns?  I
would guess that a skip, punch, skip after the first four punches, would
cover just about everything.

Spencer Chase

P.S.  About the non-music topics.  I don't expose myself to much Internet
stuff, so I appreciate an occasional mention about  serious issues or
items of particular interest, but I think long discussions and alternate
opinions should be referred to other areas.

 [ The chaining patterns in early 88-note rolls were applied manually,
 [ and beautiful patterns were created by bored editors.  ;-)  I can't
 [ think of any musical reason to replicate the patterns in a recut;
 [ it's the action of the valve in the piano that matters.
 [
 [ Re topics, musical or not: The presentations should be kept concise,
 [ and then the alternate views can be short.  After the main points have
 [ been voiced we can refer eleswhere the discussion of lesser issues.
 [ -- Robbie