Whilst I can appreciate the facts regarding deterioration of papers
rolls and the potential for long-term storage of music in MIDI format,
I am reminded of the fact that developments in computers and technology
very often renders systems and formats obsolete.

I have a fine Decap dance organ, built in Herentals in 1989, which
plays from computer tapes encoded with music in streaming form.  It is
not possible to get more music for this system from anyone nowadays
and it only through the generous help of an organ enthusiast in
Tilburg, Holland, that I have been able to enhance the repertoire.

The manufacturers suggest that I have the organ converted to MIDI, but
then all the current repertoire is unusable and who is to say that this
too will be obsolete in another 10 or 20 years, when something 'better'
comes along.

At the moment, MIDI is the normal, and CD-ROM storage is appropriate,
but the personal music equipment industry has shown that change can
be rapid: once we had 'Walkman' machines playing cassettes, then CD
players, and now we have mp3 type players downloaded directly from the
Internet, the CD is now under threat.

Perhaps the best way is to replace the old paper rolls with new paper
rolls alongside archival storage on computer media, but watch out and
don't forget to upgrade the storage media when something new comes
along!

Stephen Simpson
www.happycowmusic.co.uk