Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > September 2003 > 2003.09.10 > 09Prev  Next


Are Mechanical Music Instruments "Robots"?
By Eliyahu Shahar

My two cents on a fun and interesting dialogue!  I would tend not to
include musical boxes, orchestrions and player/reproducing pianos as
robots since they act on themselves.  The Vorsetzers (push-up players)
act on other devices according to a program and thus I would call them
robots.

Another example could be a MIDI controller in my PC.  When I listen to
a MIDI file through my computer speakers, I doubt that anyone would
consider it a robot, yet connect a MIDI-controlled band organ or piano
and you might have a point, though here it's electronic controls, not
physical.

So I leave you with a question: would you consider a machine a robot
that only acted on itself?

Eliyahu Shahar


(Message sent Wed 10 Sep 2003, 06:34:51 GMT, from time zone GMT+0300.)

Key Words in Subject:  Are, Instruments, Mechanical, Music, Robots

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page