I may have mentioned in past postings about the effort I have put into
building roll readers in order to end up with MIDI files.  I have built
two units, the first of which is being operated by my good friend,
Frank Himpsl, who is a musical guru and a great modern ragtime composer
as well.  This unit has basic capabilities and has been in use, trouble
free, for about a year and a half.

I started construction of a second unit for my own use about a year
ago, and it has been working with basic capabilities for a few months.
This second unit is going to be more sophisticated than the first.
Rather than go on about what I think it will be able to do in the
future I want to announce today that I am pleased with the completed
files of Ampico rolls create MIDI files with Ampico expression.

I have to say that the finished files fall just shy of a live Ampico
piano but nevertheless they're pretty darn good!  They sound really good
played through my Kurzweil keyboard sound card which is heard through
my stereo.  I'd say it captures 95 to 98% of the expression including
the sustain pedal and soft pedal.

I know there are a lot of factors in hearing MIDI files.  A lot is
dependent upon the sound card in your computer.  Have a listen and
let me know how it sounds to you.  If there is anyone out there who
has a Yamaha Disklavier let me know if these files are compatible with
the soft and sustain pedal commands.  I would also like to know if
electronic players translate this information relatively too loud
or too soft as I do not know how the velocity numbers translate into
volume on electronic players.

I got involved in creating MIDI files because of my friendship with
Frank Himpsl.  He wanted to MIDI-fy his collection and I have enjoyed
meeting the challenge.  I really liked building these two units (I'm
not building another).  Producing the dynamics of Ampico rolls is just
a fun thing to do.  I have ordered a PowerRoll unit, as has Frank, and
that will be the main use for the files.

I have forwarded two files to MMD but I don't know how they will be
posted.  If you would like to hear these for yourself you are invited
to Email me requesting these two files.

Paul Manganaro

 [ Thanks for sharing your work, Paul.  I'll place the two files at
 [ the MMD Sounds site, http://mmd.foxtail.com/Sounds/  -- Robbie