Player piano reproducing special performance techniques using

Abstract

A brand-new player piano is designed to have a compatibility with the conventional player piano and the electronic musical instrument based on the MIDI standard while providing a capability of playing a highly skilled music performance such as the performance technique of half stroke. The player piano creates a new version of performance information which uses a key-depression event frame in addition to a string-striking event frame and a key-release event frame. Herein, the string-striking event frame contains extensional information for a string-striking velocity, while the key-release event frame contains extensional information for a key-release velocity. The extensional information is not specifically defined by the MIDI standard and is neglected by the conventional player piano. The key-depression event frame, which is newly introduced by this player piano and is neglected by the conventional player piano, represents a note number and a key-depression velocity as well as extensional information for the key-depression velocity. Using the extensional information, it is possible to control each of the velocities more precisely. The performance information is recorded on a recording media. At a reproduction, the player piano produces trajectory data and position data with respect to each of the keys on the basis of the performance information. The trajectory data represent a key-depression-uniform-motion trajectory and a key-depression-slow-down trajectory along which a key moves when being depressed. The trajectory data also represent a key-release-uniform-motion trajectory and a key-release-slow-up trajectory along which the key moves when being released.