Scott Currier wrote:

> I've often thought it would be great if someone made a portable MIDI
> spool box that would plug into the MIDI-in on Pianomation, PianoDisc or
> Disklavier units.  A small electric powered (suitcase style?) box with
> a tracker bar modified to convert roll to MIDI on the fly.
>
> It would be even better if there were Duo-Art and Ampico versions
> available.  I'm assuming the roll libraries many of us have seriously
> out-shine the selections currently available for the three MIDI systems.
> It would serve a niche market, but what the heck, so do the MIDI driven
> Acoustic pianos!  (This seems like something QRS should be marketing to
> Disklavier and PianoDisc owners :-)

As a Yamaha Disklavier owner this is something that would be of interest
to me.  Various people on the list have encouraged me to get into old
players but I don't have the time or the money to do that.  A system like
you describe would allow me to use existing rolls with my system.  How
much do you think something like this would cost?  How feasible is you
idea?  Comments?  Wayne, are you out there?

I'm looking into the QRS CD-ROM system that combines orchestral recordings
with MIDI piano playback but the selections seem limited.  Anybody have
experience with that system?

Regards,

Larry Kellogg

 [ Editor's note:
 [
 [ Jody and I discussed "Rolls to MIDI" recently with Tom Steuer.  The
 [ task is not trivial.  We estimated that the computer software just to
 [ convert reproducing piano data into MIDI would need about two months
 [ work by a skilled programmer, and so the cost would be $10,000 minimum.
 [
 [ The task is realizable, and several Digest members have worked on
 [ hardware and software to do just what Scott and Larry desire.  But
 [ I know of no readily-available equipment (nor robust software) which
 [ can be assembled today at low cost.
 [
 [ But perhaps a market will emerge soon, and then the development
 [ costs could be spread across several customers.  When that happens,
 [ I want a system too!  :-)
 [
 [ Robbie Rhodes