Metapiano

by RASHOMON • 24 May 2012, 19:20 • Journals
I just found out this video of a guy playing the metapiano (he actually invented it afaik).

Sharing it here since it is a really weird weird thing to watch (and hear)! Try to understand how it has been made (the metapiano is plugged into a computer).

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HugTheSub 24 May 2012, 22:13
that guy must have actually understood how music technically works to write that piece of software. thats why he made this instead of a shitty tune on fruityloops.
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Salaneuvos 25 May 2012, 12:41
that's a hoax i'm afraid

having a closer look it you can see that the music doesn't correspond to the pressing of the buttons. It becomes obvious when watching the following link (a horrid interpretation of chopin's op 10 nr 4 etude) between 0:52-1:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul8dfY72TWQ&feature=relmfu

My guess is that he or someone else has played these pieces on the piano, recorded it and then played 'metapiano' on top of the recording.

On principle, a metapiano is possible, but only to use as a pacer on pre-recorded pieces. It's fairly obvious that it can't (due to its size) perform as many functions as an actual grand piano.
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RASHOMON 25 May 2012, 15:00
Thanks for the detailed answer. It's quite complicated but it's all real:
the computer plays all the required notes of the piece when he presses the keys (he only need to know by heart the rythm so he push the keys at the right time. What you must know is that he could only need 1 key to play the whole thing but for higher conveniency, he uses several keys. It's quite complexe to understand/explain but I've found official explanations and some1 I know got in touch with the guy who invented the thing). Sry for the wall of text, just felt like trying to explain :P
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Salaneuvos 25 May 2012, 21:40
So basically it's a pacer.

Anyhow, what strikes my attention to doubt this is that Chopin's 4th etude, between 0:52-1:00.
The music comes noticably after he presses the button (500ms or so) and during the rest of the piece it's on time so it can't be audio delay. Mind explaining that?
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RASHOMON 25 May 2012, 22:33
I see the delay, but I actually think that the player simply did not learn the rythm enough and all the notes SO : the note that should come with the finger of his left hand (the high tuned melody) is actually being played by the "wrong" finger i.e what he presses with the left hand is one of the trill of the bass instead of the note of the melody but SINCE the rythm is the only thing that matters, the result is the same, it is just visually awkward. THe melody note is actually played by one of the fingers of his right hand.
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Salaneuvos 26 May 2012, 00:44
yep, and therefore not a piano as you can't play whatever notes you wish (you have to program it first) . It would be quite the same to randomly bash your keyboard to the rhythm of the piece.

Actually reminds me of a toy I used to have when I was a kid, it was in shape of a grand piano, but had one button. As you pressed the button, it made just one sound, but when you pressed it in a certain rhythm a clear melody would emerge.

But I have no intention of calling that a piano either.

Sorry if I sound a bit defensive, but hey, I'm a pianist. 8)
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RASHOMON 26 May 2012, 01:56
Haha no worries, was one myself too and I find that thing halfway through fraud and originality too ;)
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