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MMD > Archives > December 2005 > 2005.12.22 > 03Prev  Next


MIDI Files of Music Rolls at Web Site
By Terry Smythe

My 20th batch of MIDI files emerging from scanning century old player
piano music rolls is now available for download.  This batch of 234
MIDI files again represents one of the principal reasons why we are
scanning these old piano rolls in hope of extending the life of their
content well beyond their paper form.  The MIDI files emerge as an
automatic by-product of the scanning process.

Of the 234 titles, many of them are no longer playable on a conventional
player piano due to damage of some kind.  Many were simply played to
death in their day.  As a simple matter of economics, it is highly
likely that the vast majority will not ever again be made available in
new recut piano roll form.  They may be downloaded by clicking on
http://members.shaw.ca/irish122/batch20.ZIP or through clickable links
off  http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/archive.htm

An ever growing spreadsheet listing all ~3,500 MIDI files is
available at  http://members.shaw.ca/irish122/complete-uploads.ZIP

The current batch will be found at the bottom of the list.  Will make
it possible to sort in any order of choice, by title, composer, or
artist, etc.

Observant users will note a discrepancy between the number of entries
on this spreadsheet and the actual number of MIDI files available.
This emerged as a consequence of my own roll documentation errors
within individual MIDI files that provoked my spreadsheet making
utility to ignore them.  One day I will attempt to correct these minor
errors.

The batch includes some very unusual music emerging from Alan Turner's
collection of rare Solo Apollo rolls.  These rolls are huge, 15-1/4"
wide.  They are relatively rare, from the period 1900-1905, as are the
Melville Clark player pianos they were aimed at.  Scanning was made
possible using Kevin Keymer's twin array wide roll scanner.

As before, all these files will work on all solenoid pianos such as
Disklavier, PianoDisc, Pianomation and Pianocorder.  For those inclined
to tinker with the MIDI files, a very good free utility is "MidiMod",
available from Spencer Chase's web site:

http://www.spencerserolls.com/Files4Download.html

For this 20th batch, special thanks go to:

* Richard Canedo for contributing some rolls, including some Recordo rolls.

* Alan Turner for contributing his collection of Solo Apollo rolls.

* Lee Roan for contributing MIDI files from his efforts in scanning
A-Roll nickelodeon rolls on a unique roll scanner he devised and built.

* Dave Kerr for contributing MIDI files from his own scanning endeavors.

* John McClelland for contributing Welte (Licensee) MIDI files from his
own scanning endeavors.

* Anthony Robinson for contributing MIDI files from his own scanning
endeavors.

Enjoy!

Regards,
Terry Smythe
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm


(Message sent Fri 23 Dec 2005, 02:55:09 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Files, MIDI, Music, Rolls, Site, Web

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