Thanks to all the MMDers who have pointed us to Mission style player
pianos.  They are, indeed, rare but this audience has demonstrated
again that you have the answers to most questions when it comes to
automated music.

I have another, perhaps simple or simple-minded, question.  My wife and
I commissioned a 58-whistle calliope from Dave Miner (in the Arts and
Crafts style, by the way) and since acquiring it have avidly looked for
the A-Rolls that it uses.  In the quest we have found many that do not
sound good on the calliope because so much of the arrangement is well
above middle C.  Such arrangements account for the "shrillness" of
calliopes.

Luckily, we have a hood with swell shutters to cut down on some of
this, making our calliope of the few with "volume control."  Our
calliope has two full octaves below Middle C and nearly three above.
I believe some of the arrangements would sound a whole lot better if
the whole thing was shifted an entire octave lower.  Does this make
sense musically?  Also, is it doable?  And thirdly, is there anyone
who could do this kind of thing?  Obviously, there is no mass market
(probably only a market of one) for this kind of exercise.

Terry Bender

 [ Terry, I believe the problem is mostly due to the pipe voicing.
 [ With only one exception, every calliope I've played or heard was
 [ voiced as you describe: quite shrill in the high treble.  (Maybe
 [ this is intentional -- to emulate the shrill sound of the steam
 [ calliope heard on riverboats.)  The exception was a delightful
 [ instrument for the parlor built of beer cans and baby food cans.
 [ The sound was reminiscent of the steam calliope but had none of
 [ the shrillness.
 [
 [ The other big problem is well-known: A-roll music is intended to
 [ be played on a piano or a piano with a short rank of pipes, so
 [ performance by only organ pipes is problematic.  I think organ
 [ arrangements played on the calliope, such Wurlitzer 165 or B.A.B.
 [ arrangements, might sound better overall.  -- Robbie