Digitals--

[robert sadowski]

Dear list,
   Just a thought about digitals - I've been intimately involved with MIDI
and digitals since their inception (I taught the MIDI class at the '94
national in Milwaukee).  A soundboard vibrating between your legs is a
completely different experience than a sampled sound being amplified through
speakers.  That's what makes the piano (I refuse to use the word "acoustic")
different and it always will be different.  I do find the technology
fascinating but there's no substitute for the real thing.

Bob Sadowski RPT
Erie, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Beetem <abeetem@wizard.net>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Friday, February 13, 1998 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: Digitals--


>Who's ignoring digitals?   They are fascinating, as is each stage of
>development (well, maybe not a Betsy Ross spinet).   I have a synthesizer.
>No better way to input a tune into the computer.  My dearest friend is a
>professional composer and pianist who uses a digital piano like object
>(DPLO) for his work, including composing sonatas for harpsichord (don't
>worry Stephen we make sure he gets real harpsichords to refine them on).
>He uses the same keyboard for MIDI orchestrations.
>
>He longs for a compact MIDI keyboard with far better touch and sound
>though.   I'll take suggestions of people's favorites if they are willing.
>As do I so I can rapidly demonstrate and try different temperaments.
>
>I would assume all these bright pianer tooners can adapt to working on
>digitals.  There are still mechanical parts, and advice to give,  parts to
>sell.  It will just be different.   They adapted to SATs and laptops.  So
>you take a new set of training courses.
>
>Besides,  the acoustic is far from dead.   When they are running partial
>differentials on all the possible combinations of undamped tones within an
>acoustic box, then I'll have some faith in their sampling.   You cannot
>experience the beach by looking at individual grains of sand.  You cannot
>model a Killer B by sampling individual notes played at one acceleration
>and intensity.
>
>ab -- who dreams of having one of everything available to play within a
>half hour drive
>
>
>
>
>Anne Beetem
>Harpsichords & Historic Pianos
>2070 Bingham Ct.
>Reston, VA  20191
>abeetem@wizard.net
>
>