Disklavier

On Dec 18, 2004, at 12:22 AM, Carol Beigel wrote:

> What did Piano Bar use for sensors?  Mylar fingers?


All the functions of the Moog PianoBar are included in the Disklavier, 
so this discussion is of only very limited applicability here on a 
Disklavier list.

The PianoBar was shown at the Piano Technicians Guild convention last 
summer to what surely must have been a very skeptical crowd. Moog was 
very pleased with the response it got and will be showing the PianoBar 
to next year's PTG convention as well.

The PianoBar was developed by Donald Buchla, a very important figure in 
the history of electronic music. The PianoBar has no moving parts, no 
fingers, but rather uses proximity sensing for both keys and pedals.

The PianoBar requires no installation but simply sits on the keyboard. 
This means it can be moved freely from piano to piano and requires only 
a minute-long calibration routine to adjust itself to a new piano. One 
would think that it would get in the way of some pianists, but it 
provides little obstruction, and in any event is immediately removable.

I own a PianoBar and am very pleased with it and its performance. My 
only issue with it has been the pedal sensor which required some 
fussing to work properly with a Steinway pedal lyre, but Moog is aware 
and has been responsive to the issue.


Kent Swafford
Vice President
Piano Technicians Guild