Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > July 1997 > 1997.07.14 > 10Prev  Next


Converting Artrio-Angelus to Duo-Art
By Mike Knudsen

On Terry Smythe's dilemma of what to do with his Angelus player: It's
true that the two systems are related.  The Angelus "snakebite" theme
holes are in the same positions on the roll.  Back in early '70s when
I first got my Duo-Art, I had about six good Angelus rolls that I would
play in "Themodist" style, running the dynamics with the hand levers.

Which leads to my next statement, that Angelus rolls should be out there.
I traded those 6 rolls for D-As, but they should be out there somewhere.

According to White's little book "Piano Playing Mechanisms", the Angelus
action is "digital" like the D-A but with two important differences.
First, it uses Ampico-B type concept of using the expression codings from
the roll to establish a "reference vacuum" which then controls the main
suction to the stack.  It should be faster than the D-A, as well as
simpler and more reliable.

Second, the Theme and Accompaniment are connected in series -- the Accomp
works from the Theme's output, so the Accomp is a given fraction of the
Theme level, not of the pump suction.  Thus for a given fixed Accomp
level, it will "ride" up and down with Theme dynamics.  By clever coding
of both sides, many Accomp levels can be had.

I think there are 5 holes (32 levels) of Theme and 3 holes (8 levels)
of Accomp (relative to the Theme level).

In short, I would not modify this rare and excellent system into a
relatively common type.  And by the time you had acquired or made the
Duo-Art components to do the conversion, you could have converted an
88-note player to D-A.

Also, where is the stack division point of the Angelus compared to the
D-A?

By the Way, I own a D-A, currently getting it re-rebuilt, but an Angelus
would be really special.  Find a new owner who *does* appreciate it.

Best wishes, Mike Knudsen


(Message sent Mon 14 Jul 1997, 19:23:43 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Artrio-Angelus, Converting, Duo-Art

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page