Disklavier

On Sat, 22 May 2004, Robert Welcyng wrote:

> Just for the record, the highest possible MIDI note-on velocity is 127 
> decimal, and the lowest, 0 (note-off).  (Velocity values are represented 
> by seven bits within a Note On Message. The binary number 1111111 equals 
> 2^7 - 1, or decimal 127.)
> 
> If a note of velocity 90 does not damage your DKV, then neither will a 
> note of velocity 127.  The reason is that the designers of the DKV have 
> built in MIDI-velocity-limiting.  With the DKV Volume Control set at 
> "0", a note of velocity 127 will strike the strings no harder than a 
> note of velocity 90.  Therefore, you need have no special concern about 
> the source of the MIDI file, be it PianoDisc, QRS Pianomation, 
> electronic keyboard, or found on the Internet.

Is that really correct? I was under the impression that the limitation you
hear is due to the solenoids running out of power, but I am probably wrong
on that. There are papers on Citeseer, such as Goebl & Bresin (see
http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/585474.html) that show midi velocity vs dB SPL
for a Mark II grand. Their plots show an increase in SPL of staccato notes
between 100 and 120. What a MarkIII or Pro can do I have no idea.

> However, I believe most of us would agree with Carol that there is 
> little benefit, mechanically or musically, in driving a DKV to the 
> maximum.  Before playing a newly acquired MIDI file, take the precaution 
> of reducing the DKV Volume Control to its minimum.  That has the effect 
> of setting all note velocities to about 25.

I'll agree - it's not worth driving the DKV to its maximum. On my MPX1Z
(Mark IIXG U1) the DKV volume control depresses the soft pedal and I don't
think it does anything to the note velocities. If I play something
energetic back then you can still see the mechanism being tortured -
obviously on the grand's it wouldn't have quite the same effect. That
said, the solenoids aren't capable of producing the same velocities that a
human could produce at the keys, so it's no different to someone sat there
bashing away is it?

Anyone know why Yamaha appears to have implemented the system differently, 
or if I just misinterpretted what was happening when I lower the volume 
control on my piano?

Thanks

James