Research references

• Are computer-controlled pianos a reliable tool in music performance research? Recording and reproduction precision of a Yamaha Disklavier grand piano
  • http://mtg.upf.edu/mosart/papers/p35.pdf
  • In this study, a Yamaha Disklavier is tested on its measuring and reproducing capabilities, with the goal to examine its use in performance research. An experimental setup with accelerometers and a calibrated microphone is used to capture key and hammer movements, as well as the sound signal. Five selected keys are played by pianists with two types of touch (‘staccato – legato’). Timing and dynamic differences between the original performance, the corresponding MIDI file recorded by a Disklavier, and its reproduction are analysed. Information of the MIDI file was more precise than the reproduction by the Disklavier. Timing errors are larger for soft tones and hammer velocities higher than 3.5 m/s could not be reproduced by the solenoids.
• The Interpretation of MIDI Velocity
  • https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rbd/papers/velocity-icmc2006.pdf
  • The MIDI standard does not specify how MIDI key velocity is to be interpreted. Of course, individual synthetic instruments respond differently, but one would expect that on average, instruments will respond about the same. This study aims to determine empirically how hardware and software MIDI synthesizers translate velocity to peak RMS amplitude. Analysis shows synthesizers roughly follow an x-squared rather than exponential mapping. Given a desired dynamic range (from velocity 1 to 127), a square-law mapping from velocity to RMS is uniquely determined, making dynamic range a convenient way to summarize behavior. Surprisingly, computed values of dynamic range for commercial synthesizers vary by more than 60dB.