Player Piano, William Tell Overture

Popular player piano up until about the 1920's. Demonstration of William Tell Overture performed at Fort Edmonton Park.

[@Silavite]

Before there were MIDI files, there were piano rolls. Before there was synthesizers, there were player pianos.

[@imawhack]

actually my favorite were the .MOD files.

[@danielgaskell5490]

Before synthesizers the Theatre Organ made all the instruments come together under one unified control and in fact the pipes were unified to all the keyboards which distinguishes them from church or classical organs. Additionally, the pipes have a reed or such added to give them their unique sound.

[@Kafkodesu]

The original Synthesia.

[@Melissa0774]

The great thing about a player piano is that it can play songs that it would take 2 or maybe even 3 or more people to play and use chord combinations that are impossible, even for multiple people to play with only 10 fingers. That's why they're so cool.

[@dggd]

Excellent! Great leg workout too!

[@LHRM40]

Politicians overstate their importance. Civilization was given to us through inventors. It should be the role of politicians to allow innovation to take place. Just look at all the technology that it took to produce this piano.

[@mansharker8]

I tried using the manual bellows on my grandpas old player piano, the hoses had small leaks from age so getting the player up to the proper speed was a REAL workout, but it was fun and very rewarding :)

[@mikeriverajr4447]

its amazing that somebody could even play that in the first place

[@exoromusic]

Synthesia version 0.01

[@exampletarkan99]

Only way I can play

[@peterfurnell123]

I wanted one of these since I was five.

[@stevenhobbs3032]

That sounds fantastic

[@starfish50]

A player piano would be about the only way I could play, the guitar, now that is what I am good at. Great job you did, thank you for sharing with us.

[@Cheo97]

Thanks for your performance

[@poshby1]

I have one of these and they are certainly a lot harder to pedal than you think.... Good exercise tho!

[@asdvfvgwedf5272]

MIDI before it was cool

[@soularddave2]

Whoaaa! Slow it down, dude! Tonto can't keep up.

[@utl94]

Very entertaining to hear! Good work there :D

[@darkestmon]

That is awesome! I wish it could play "Flight of the bumble bee" by Rimsky Korsakov

[@rageagainstroy]

High-O Silver away!

[@LordQueezle]

Always wondered how they worked. Thanks for the explanation. Though this would be much more impressive if played by hand. ;)

[@ThomasPlaysTheGames]

after playing on an old organ , i cant help but pump my feet alongisde the tempo

[@monicadear5255]

Sasha! Bravo!

[@WilliamKroupaJr.]

Greta explanation and. A fine performance!

[@WilliePeck]

that is so cool!

[@ValdemarZemelka]

PERFECT LEG SKILL!!!!

[@mikefitzgerald33]

Great job describing the workings of a player piano. Only one hitch, the air doesn't push through, it pulls through. My player piano is a cobble of different manufacturers. My piano is a Sherlock Manning (London, ON) but I suspect the player bar is not. I noticed that the player bar (c/w tracker bar, chain drive and regulator) is exactly like mine. Can you tell me the make of that piano and do you know if it is completely original? Thanks Mike

[@sherrylowery7720]

so cool

[@felipexp30]

Perfeito!!!!

[@jocktb3230]

thats so cool

[@LingTheBug]

I guess you'd get some tough thighs if you we're the piano man operating one of these things

[@chardmb]

dem legs!

[@violiman]

...imagine playing black midi on the thing

[@tonymiller5178]

i want one where can i get one

[@RobinPratt]

That's some hat Harry!

[@pianotiles2669]

Super

[@jetson213]

Have a chute & butler upright piano but looking for the player part so that ican instlal and

[@ltaproductions7989]

All I could think about is twister OKLAHOMA!!!

[@NachoMist]

I wish I had a player piano, my legs need a good workout! :P

[@nickclayton2517]

That's cool it's a vacuum motor

[@william_mazza]

great pianist :)

[@Andrewcarey87]

Lone Ranger!!!!

[@tombreen932]

not bad, not bad at all a hole lot different

[@kenz730]

Actually mine worked on a vacuum.

[@dougcrouse1746]

Hi ho Silver away kidding lol

[@MooPotPie]

Nice piano . . . but why the devil are you dressed like that?