#1

Hi!

I am researching about player pianos, in particular PianoDisc and QRS, and how to adapt these systems for turning acoustic pianos into MIDI controllers for synths.

Does anyone have any experience with them? I would like to chat with people that are into these kind of projects.

:slight_smile:

#3

yes, thanks! I am looking at cheaper / more portable alternatives to Disklavier.
Have you used the Disklavier along with MIDI and external synths?

#5

I have some experience with the latest QRS systems, but mostly in the other direction (MIDI fed into pianos) than using pianos to control other instruments. I would imagine that, with some tuning, QRS could do a pretty solid job of it though.

1 Like
#6

That’s great, do you have any examples I could see on Youtube?
Also, why do you use QRS instead of PianoDisc? I’m trying to decide which to get.

#7

Is this anything like the work Money Mark has been doing with player pianos?

1 Like
#8

I have nothing up on youtube, but I work with a piano maker who offers the QRS pnomation system as an optional feature with everything we make. the system hardware is a bit of a beast to install, but guy we work with on installation (who used to do PianoDisc system installation) has described the quality of playback on the piano as much higher with the QRS system. I have no real experience with the PianoDisc system though.

I haven’t recorded MIDI off of the QRS system yet and looked at it, but my sense is that the IR sensors they’re using are fairly high-resolution and, when calibrated, are pretty accurate. The weakness of the system is when recording keyboard and pedal, the ability to playback with the same subtlety doesn’t seem possible, as the solenoids can’t reproduce softer playing of the piano.

1 Like
#9

No experience or answer here, just my fantasy is to control a player piano with a live coding environment (like Andrew Sorenson) , mic the piano and than do crazy algorithmic stuff with it. So I’m very interested with what you’ll do with your idea. Please report back where this project will take you.

1 Like
#10

Here is a link to to Andrew Sorensen video discklavier sessions: https://vimeo.com/50061269

1 Like