Virtual Piano Museum - Pianos Without Pianists - Player Pianos and Reproducing Pianos

Pianos Without Pianists

Upright Player Piano, 1923-25
Maker: Gabler & Bros
New York, NY

Around 1905, the upright player piano emerged, with all the player mechanisms built right in to the piano's cabinet.
During the 1920s, production of player pianos outpaced normal piano production in the US as the instrument began to compete with the ever growing popularity of electronic media.

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Upright Player Piano c. 1925
Maker: Brinkerhoff
Chicago, Illinois

Pianola Piano Player, 1900-1905
Maker: Aeolian
New York

The forerunner to the upright player piano, "the push-up" piano player was a separate mechanism and cabinet that was pushed up to piano keyboard.
Wooden fingers would then strike downwards to play the piano keys.

Pianola With Piano
in position to play

Reproducing Piano, c. 1924
Maker: Stodart
New York

Introduced in 1904, perhaps the most sophisticated, but expensive, form of playing mechanism was the "reproducing" piano. These pianos, unlike their upright player piano counterparts, were capable of "reproducing" the nuances of an artist's keyboard touch. After George Gershwin recorded the master roll of "Rhapsody In Blue" he stated that this roll represented his exact playing and tonal nuances. In other words, the playing mechanism was capable of striking each note with varied intensity and speed.