Hello again! I'm re-joining the list after a 2-year absence. While
I don't own any pneumatic mechanical instruments, I remain very
interested in them. I have owned several solenoid-based reproducing
pianos; currently I have a Yamaha C-7 (7'6") with the new Mark III
Disklavier (which you can see at http://www.robert.to/newc7.html).
I've also worked on several projects to build electric solenoid
percussion instruments: triangle, snare, castanets, etc, to play along
with the solenoid piano. I programmed a 17C42 microcontroller to decode
MIDI and fire the solenoids. Some details on the microcontroller
I used are here at http://www.swixo.com/midipic/
I work for Walt Disney Imagineering's R&D group, though my interest
in mechanical musical instruments is (mostly) a hobby.
Robert Swirsky-Warner
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