5/20/2004: Roll-up portable piano
 

http://cellar.org/2004/portablepiano.jpg

This was shown off at a consumer products show in Japan. At first I thought how excellent it would be to have one. Then I reconsidered. You wouldn't get very good action out of those keys, and a real keyboard can be had for not very much money; surely this thing will be over $100; and so who's it for? I guess if it went for under $50 it might be interesting, but I think I'd prefer real keys at any price point.

It's for if Stuart Little is cast in a remake of "Big".

It's for the Japanese who don't have the space for a real keyboard. They are absolute masters at efficient use of space.

This keyboard looks like one from Dali's paintings.

If it were smaller and worked into your clothing, it would make a great flirtation device.

It wouldn't work for me. I need at least 5\8 in. of dropping space

It would conform to any shape dashboard. And you thought those cell phone people were dangerous.:eek:

i'll buy one if it connects with my laptop.

Plane trips. writing music. perfect.

-sm

Look at the little speaker...I'll bet it sounds just about as crappy as those little travel guitars.

She's drunk.

Maybe she's just got that "groupie grin".:)

any Piano-Organ-Keyboard players in here?

I can murder a tune on a good day.

any Piano-Organ-Keyboard players in here?

I'm sure there are. Everyone knows there is nothing wrong with playing with your organ every now and then.

like what?

Long ago and far away.

Yes. This keyboard would be a "last resort" as it would have a completely different feel. Shoot, even going from piano to keyboard can throw you off.

in actual pianos, you can feel the resistance of the entire mechanism.

in keyboard, you either feel: 1-a simple spring or 2- composite springs that aid in tone quality (the harder you press, the louder the sound.)

in that keyboard I imagine you don't feel a thing (have any of you imagined to play the piano in a table?)

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

oh, gosh!

oh, well.

oh, kay!:D

several companies are now making keyboards with a full hammer action inside. It's still not a piano, but it's close enough that I feel comfortable playing classical and straight-ahead jazz on them (always the most difficult things to do when the action is off).

I don't think the market for this is for "players" - but what a great instructional tool! Can you imaging being able to do 45 minutes of music instruction with elementary school kids, and have them take their "pianos" out of their desks and roll them out, then put them away when you're done? or, when you grow up with 5 pianists in the same house, as I did, being able to write music tucked away in a closet somewhere when it's not your turn to use the real piano.

-sm

<2 1/2 minute pause with drooling at amazement> One Question, sm. Are you a Engineer or anything related to corporate America? Because You have great, and I mean, GREAT ideas. (Why didn't I thought of that?) I mean, I checked out all the bad things about that keyboard and you check out the good.

Very excelent idea, Keep thinking.

That's what the Cellar is all about, Tomas.;)