Anyone got a pianola, auto piano or know about them?
Discussion
I have some space in my front room and quite fancy an upright pianola even though I don't play the piano.
Of course if I get have a piano I might start tinkling and I do sing, so using it for practise might be an idea.
Anyway anyone have one?
What are they like?
Issues?
Interesting novelty that wears off in 5 minutes?
Of course if I get have a piano I might start tinkling and I do sing, so using it for practise might be an idea.
Anyway anyone have one?
What are they like?
Issues?
Interesting novelty that wears off in 5 minutes?
There was one in my house as a kid.
Why you would want one now, I can't get my head around.
I assume you have some sort of computing hardware... it'll do everything a pianola will and more.
Really... if you want to play piano, either buy a piano, or a keyboard and some software (It's what I did).
If you do go pianola route, you'll need the pianola 'paper programmes' that make them work. Tricky to find these days.
Why you would want one now, I can't get my head around.
I assume you have some sort of computing hardware... it'll do everything a pianola will and more.
Really... if you want to play piano, either buy a piano, or a keyboard and some software (It's what I did).
If you do go pianola route, you'll need the pianola 'paper programmes' that make them work. Tricky to find these days.
I like music, mechanical and technical things and computers etc
A pianola combines my love of music with old school technical stuff and paper rolls that are the forerunner of all our computer programs and digital information storage.
There are loads around on e-bay, gumtree, FB Marketplace etc some very cheap or even free.
Masses of old paper pianola rolls on the internet and you can even buy new ones nowadays encoded with the latest tunes or your own choices/songs.
Yes it's a big heavy wooden lump in the corner of my front room.
Is it just a passing fad or 5 minute wonder which will pass?
A pianola combines my love of music with old school technical stuff and paper rolls that are the forerunner of all our computer programs and digital information storage.
There are loads around on e-bay, gumtree, FB Marketplace etc some very cheap or even free.
Masses of old paper pianola rolls on the internet and you can even buy new ones nowadays encoded with the latest tunes or your own choices/songs.
Yes it's a big heavy wooden lump in the corner of my front room.
Is it just a passing fad or 5 minute wonder which will pass?
My Dad's got two, a Steck and a Steinway, both uprights he restored himself, although he used to have a Steinway grand too. Suspect they'll be a b
h to sell when he can no longer enjoy them. Has had them and been restoring them since I was about 10 so I've picked up a little bit of knowledge.
Not too expensive a hobby to indulge in for a few months if the novelty wears off. Plenty of restoration parts available, mainly from the US if memory serves. As has been said, rolls are easy to come by, second hand or new, beware there are a few different types though, and some only play well on the make they were designed for - dredging my memory these are Duo-Art and Ampico as the ones that need to match, google will help you.
They are also HEAVY, if you engage a standard man with a van to move them they won't be able to, minimum two man with a tail lift job.
Good luck!
h to sell when he can no longer enjoy them. Has had them and been restoring them since I was about 10 so I've picked up a little bit of knowledge.Not too expensive a hobby to indulge in for a few months if the novelty wears off. Plenty of restoration parts available, mainly from the US if memory serves. As has been said, rolls are easy to come by, second hand or new, beware there are a few different types though, and some only play well on the make they were designed for - dredging my memory these are Duo-Art and Ampico as the ones that need to match, google will help you.
They are also HEAVY, if you engage a standard man with a van to move them they won't be able to, minimum two man with a tail lift job.
Good luck!
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