Damper pedal modifications

[annie at allthingspiano.com]

Funny you should mention knee levers, Frank, as that crossed my mind, too.
 Like a melodeon, only different.  (A hat that plays pedals is just TOO
cool!)

She plays out a lot, at nursing homes and other community sites, so
something portable would be good.  On the other hand, I suspect she spends
most of her playing time at the church and at home.

Since she's unlikely to ever use the una corda at church, I suppose I
could reconfigure the rods and linkages.

I'm open to nearly any suggestion or idea, so thanks in advance for more
of 'em!

Annie G.

> Hi Annie,
>
> I once modified a computer "joystick" to function as a knee lever on the
> piano bench, in conjunction with a PianoDisc pedal solenoid, to
> accommodate an amputee-pianist.  Researching the project, I found a patent
> for a mercury switch, mounted in a hat for the switching device.  A tilt
> of the head would activate the switch.  Neither of these solutions would
> easily meet the portability requirements of your situation.  A few years
> after this project, I was contacted by a university research group, who
> were working on a similar situation.  In their case, portability was also
> an issue.  I don't recall how they dealt with that aspect of it.  I'll
> have to do some digging, but maybe I can find some of their correspondence
> with me with more information.
>
> Frank Emerson
>