Disklavier

Hi All
The problem of volume with piano music has been an issue for me for some
time. I market MIDI files optimised to suit a Disklavier. I use a MIDI
velocity range of around 35 to 85. Any lower, and turning down the DKV
volume could cause low velocity notes to miss. Any louder and the listener
will want to turn it down. Sample files are on my website at
www.petersmidi.com.

On occasions my customers have an electronic piano. Recently, a customer
sent me "edited" versions of some of my files, in the belief he had
improved them. I checked first (fortunately), and found he had changed the
MIDI velocity range from my values to a minimum of 87 and a max of 127.
Even then, he complained, the files are not loud enough on his electronic
piano.

So, when it comes to volume, there is clearly a huge difference between an
acoustic and an electronic piano. But making the two have a similar volume
would probably mean fitting huge, efficient speakers to the electronic
version, and powering them with a super hi-power amp. After all, the sound
board in an acoustic instrument has far more surface area than a typical
speaker, let alone all the other factors that collectively make a
conventional piano capable of its dynamic range.

Whenever I download files from the internet, I first check the MIDI levels,
as most files are far too loud for an acoustic piano. As well, according to
a research paper I have somewhere on my computer, the Disklavier is at
maximum volume at around MIDI 95. Higher velocities therefore make no
difference.

I use a simple MIDI utility called Veloset to adjust MIDI levels in piano
music files. However, I always advise people to keep a copy of the original
file, as it is impossible to restore a file to its original dynamics after
making changes.

Peter Phillips


From Peter Phillips, Electronic Editorials NSW. Phone (02) 9773 4734,
mobile 0418 407 607, fax (02) 9773 9943. Website at
http://members.optushome.com.au/eleced/index.htm