MIDI-to-pneumatic conversion seems to be pretty well in hand, what
with Octet and Devtronix equipment available to drive valves -- it's
available without a lot of fuss.

How about pre-built gizmos of the opposite smack?  I have a Seeburg
"L", and it occurred to me that if I could get MIDI output without
a lot of fuss and clutter, I could hook up a small MIDI module (such
as "NanoPiano") and get not just xylophone, but bells, strings lots of
stuff, from a little box that's about 3x5x2 inches.

Does such a converter exist?  Note the words "pre-built" and "without
a lot of fuss and clutter."   That's the hard part.

George Bogatko
http://www.inluxeditions.com/

 [ Jim Moore installed a Gulbransen sensor strip in his grand piano, see
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199704/1997.04.18.14.html
 [ It's made by Gulbransen, Inc., http://www.gulbransen.com/products.htm
 [
 [ Since your cabinet piano has no keyboard, you might use Andy
 [ Taylor's adaptation of the similar QRS MIDI recording strip to
 [ function from the motion of the wippens; see
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199712/1997.12.01.11.html
 [ and http://www.qrsmusic.com/mall/pmm_details.asp?qrs_cat=70484
 [
 [ The most precise method would be a chest of pneumatic pouch
 [ switches as described by Richard Vance in his feature article,
 [ "Pneumatic Switch Assembly for Reading Music Rolls", at
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/vanceSwitch1.html
 [
 [ I'm afraid, though, that all of these methods incur a lot of "fuss
 [ and clutter".  Maybe a market will emerge someday for exactly what
 [ you seek.  -- Robbie