At http://www.qrsmusic.com/press/pr02022401.htm :-
QRS Music Technologies, Inc. To Develop Self-Tuning Piano System
Worldwide Rights Granted to Sublicense the Technology
NAPLES, FLORIDA -- February 25, 2002 -- QRS Music Technologies,
Inc. (OTCBB: QRSM) announced today that it has acquired the
exclusive worldwide rights to manufacture, sublicense and sell
a Self-Tuning Piano System. Presently, the system does not have
a trade name.
Richard A. Dolan, President and Chairman said, "The self-tuning
piano system will be designed into the manufacture of a piano and
will allow the piano to maintain itself in tune electronically.
This device is perhaps the most important addition to the basic
piano design ever made. The pianist is virtually the only modern
musician who cannot tune his/her own instrument. This device will
permit a piano to be completely tuned before each use in a few
minutes, simply by turning on a switch."
Dolan added, "This Self-Tuning Piano System will become the standard
by which all pianos will be judged. To the piano world, this will
have the same impact as air bags had on the automobile world,
'Before or after.' The quality of each piano performance will be
improved simply by having the piano in the best tune possible."
QRS Music Technologies acquired the rights to develop this unique
technology from the inventor, Don A. Gilmore, Kansas City, Missouri.
Under the terms of the Patent License Agreement, QRS Music
Technologies will pay for the cost of developing the technology and
will have a seven-year exclusive use of the technology with the
first right of refusal to renew the agreement. The royalty payment
amount was not disclosed. A U.S. Patent Application has been made.
QRS Music Technologies will have the worldwide right to grant
sublicenses.
QRS Music Technologies expects the product to be available this fall
and will be shown at the National Association of Musical Manufacturers
("NAMM") annual convention in Los Angeles next January. The
retail price of the self-tuner has not been determined. Presently,
the average manual tuning service fee in the United States is about
$75 and is usually necessary at least twice a year. This new
technology involves no motors or moving parts.
[snip]
Dan Wilson
[ Inventor Don Gilmore is a mechanical engineer and a long-time pianist.
[ He told the Internet newsgroup <rec.music.makers.piano> that the best
[ factory tuning is 'memorized' by an electronic circuit which thereafter
[ maintains the tuning electronically. -- Robbie
|