I have been toying with this idea since I first got my player piano
about nine months ago.  There are a couple of companies that make
MIDI-to-note boards (the names of the companies escapes me just now).
The real problem is finding a good source of inexpensive low voltage
valves that are small enough to fit 88 (plus sustain and soft pedal)
of them in a piano.

Looking on the 'Net I have found valves for pipe organs that with some
modification could be used in a player, but these are in the $20.00
plus range, even in 100 quantities, if I remember right.  This comes
to over $2000.00!  Also even the smaller of these valves would still be
too large (and noisy) for a player application.  I would like to find
something more in the $3.00 to $5.00 range (or less).

Since I work in the electronics design field, as an alternate I have
been thinking about making my own electric valves.  But alas, my life
has gotten rather busy as of late.

> Also, would this, or could this ruin the integrity of the instrument?

Overall I think this would have a lot to do with how the modification
was made and who was doing it.  If only Tee connectors were used to
make the connections to the tracker bar tubes of the player system,
then I don't think this would be a problem as the rubber tubes are
routinely replaced in almost any rebuild and as such are rarely
original.  And of course the valves would have to be mounted somewhere
along with the MIDI-to-note boards.

What this really comes down to is how much modification is acceptable
to you.  Some people feel that even drilling small screw holes on the
underside of the grand is totally sinful (and although personally I
would not have a problem with this, I do understand how these people
feel).

Others see that there are already various small holes on the inside of
a typical upright left over from previous rebuilds and the hard life
that many players have had since the 1920's and as such a modification
to add MIDI would not be any more of a problem than adding a vacuum
pump.

I think one other problem is that many player owners had someone else
rebuild/restore their pianos and as such are not comfortable with the
idea of making modifications and drilling holes and the like.  As a
comparison: if you where to have modifications made to your car (car
alarm, new CD player and amp) and you are not accustom to doing things
like this you are likely to think twice about doing the job yourself.

Further, if you are thinking about doing an unusual modification (say,
like adding a sun roof in the case of a car or adding MIDI in the case
of a player) then you really wouldn't want to do it yourself, unless
you happen to work as a sun roof installer or you happen to be someone
who has rebuilt player pianos.  So it is certainly understandable that
some owners would be nervous about modifying their players.

Would it ruin the integrity of the instrument?  Yes and no.  If it was
done such that the modification could be reversed then I don't think so.
Would it reduce the instrument's value?  I'm not sure.  Beyond blue
book value this tends to be more of a perception thing.  If you like
the modification then it adds value, if you don't then it doesn't.

Musically,

Ray Finch
Albuquerque, New Mexico

 [ A good article on this subject was published in "Mechanical Music",
 [ the Journal of MBSI, Vol. 47 No. 1, Spring 2001, page 4: "MIDI:
 [ Musical Instrument Digital Interface", by Mike Ames.  Several
 [ diagrams shows different installation methods, and potential
 [ effects on the instruments value and integrity are discussed.
 [ -- Robbie