Re: [ARSCLIST] Two other N.Y. Times article- now on "piano encoding"

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 23/03/07, George Brock-Nannestad wrote:

> From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Karl Miller commented on 
> 
> 
>> Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>    
>>>  ****One major problem is that the various notes of a chord are
>>> played at different velocities (to use the MIDI term), in order to
>>> bring out the counterpoint. I think it would be very difficult to
>>> disentangle this from the noisy waveforms.
>>   
>>  Indeed, and with the reproducing piano roll this is a given
>> limitation as the keyboard is divided into a treble and bass range
>> with one dynamic level available for each.
>>   
>>  Karl
> 
> ----- I have to confess that I do not know what "velocity" means in
> MIDI, but in piano playing this means the speed with which the key is
> depressed, and that determines the "strength" of the note sounded.

Same in MIDI.

> However, it is the timing of a note and not its strength that
> determines what is perceived 

No, it is both, so far as I can tell from discussions by pianists about
the voicing of chords. They aim to vary the timing and velocity
independently.


> - the precedence effect (used to be
> called the Haas effect) says that the first sound to arrive will
> determine the timing, and if the same sound is reproduced stronger
> slightly later, it is still the first that determines the perceived
> timing. And fortunately, timing is what a piano roll can provide,
> although it cannot provide individual dynamics. I think that it is the
> precise timing that actually makes the illusion created by piano rolls
> so good.
> 
> ----- in stating the above I will not say that the pianist does not
> think that he regulates the dynamics for each individual note - he may
> or he may not - but then the pianist also thinks that the feeling with
> which the key is held down _after_ the sounding will influence the
> sound. It will influence the pianist only (and perhaps an audience
> with eyes open to watch the antics).
> 

Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx