The utility of solenoid player systems

My experience with solenoid retrofit player systems is at great
variance with that of Don Winter.  For the past 24 years that I've
been involved with Pianocorder Systems, I've found them incredibly
reliable and versatile, too.

In almost a quarter of a century, I've yet to encounter an Ampico or
Duo-Art expression piano in the lobby of a Marriott hotel, or a Hyatt
Regency hotel.  On the other hand, I know that a significant number of
the 15,000 Pianocorder Systems sold wound up in commercial locations.
I also have seen Yamaha Disklavier pianos in commercial settings.

These solenoid player pianos have entertained millions of hospitality
industry guests over the past 24 years.  A few of the visitors have
themselves purchased such units as a direct result of having found one
providing lobby or lounge "live" music.

I think it a shame that Mr. Winter has yet to encounter a well-regulated
Pianocorder System installed in an acoustically-superior piano.  While
I am not a Juilliard graduate, I can, after all of these years, discern
tonal differences in different uprights and grands.

A Pianocorder System may not equal the dynamics of a well-regulated
expression piano, nevertheless it can provide more than a satisfactory
rendition of some of the more challenging classical pieces available on
QRS CDs and it can do so with a remarkable amount of dynamic expression
as I discovered this past weekend in my prior posting on MMD.

While there are a lot of quite mediocre retrofit solenoid piano
installations to be found, there are nevertheless some properly
installed units in acoustically superior pianos which can provide a
great deal of listening enjoyment if one takes the time to seek these
units out.

One final aspect which has yet to have been broached concerns the large
amount of MIDI and other repertoire available for some of these
solenoid player systems.  Without the Pianocorder System with MIDI
adapter, I would have missed such excellent performances as QRS' Bob
Berkman's "Rags and Then Some", as well as many other performances to
be found in the Pianocorder System, Pianomation-MIDI and Yamaha
Disklavier libraries.

I still have the original "live" recordings of the late local pianist,
Art Peck, made on a Pianocorder System.  Tim Westman's excellent Weber
Maesto Orchestrion MIDI files now entertain the seasonal visitors to
our local Six Flags Great America Amusement Park thanks to the
Pianocorder System.

All of these different applications suggest that retrofit solenoid
player systems have yet to reach their technical potential.

Regards,
Bob Baker