Can I still play the piano normally after installation?

Yes. The system sits under the keys and does not interfere with playing. When it is off, the piano is exactly what it was.

Does it change the sound of the piano?

No. It plays the real strings with the real hammers. The only electronics are the ones moving the keys.

Which system do you install?

QRS PNOmation, the industry standard for fitting a player system inside an acoustic piano. I am a certified PNOmation installer.

Does the installation affect the piano’s value?

A professionally installed system on a good instrument generally adds to its appeal. A poor installation does the opposite, which is why the piano is regulated and tuned as part of the job.

Do you service self-playing systems installed by someone else?

Yes. I assess existing PNOmation systems and tell you whether they need adjustment, an update or a repair.

Self-playing · QRS PNOmation

A piano that plays itself

Your acoustic piano can play on its own: real keys moving, real hammers striking real strings, from a playlist on your phone. I fit pianos with the QRS PNOmation system, the industry standard for turning a grand or an upright into a self-playing piano without changing what makes it a piano. When the system is off, the instrument is exactly what it was. When it is on, the room fills with the sound of a piano being played, because that is what is happening.

I am a certified PNOmation installer (QRS, 2016) and a Registered Piano Technician. That combination matters: a player system is only as good as the piano around it, and the installation touches the action, the keybed and the pedals. I install the system, then regulate and tune the piano so the two work as one. I also service and update systems that were installed by someone else.

What a self-playing piano does

Plays the real keys and pedals with precise, expressive dynamics. No speakers imitating a piano.
Streams music and playlists from your phone or tablet over Wi-Fi: classical, jazz, film scores, holiday music, whatever the evening calls for.
Records what you play and plays it back on the same instrument.
Can accompany audio and video, or play along with a recorded ensemble.
Fits grand pianos and most uprights. The system sits beneath the keybed and does not change the look of the instrument.

The installation

Player piano system installation, done by a technician

Assessment. I check the piano’s condition and measurements and confirm the system configuration for your instrument.
Installation. The solenoid rail, controller and pedal drive are fitted. How long it takes depends on the system and on the condition of the piano; call me and I will tell you what to expect for yours.
Calibration, regulation and tuning. Each key is calibrated to the system, the action is regulated and the piano is tuned. Then I show you how to use it.

Compatibility

Is my piano a candidate?

Most grand pianos and many uprights can be fitted, but every instrument is different: the space under the keybed, the condition of the action and the type of pedal mechanism all matter. Send me the brand, model and a photo, or ask me to look at the piano in person. I will tell you whether it is a good candidate and what the installation involves.

Already have a player system?

If your piano came with a PNOmation system, or one was installed years ago by someone else, I can assess it, update it and repair it, and look at the piano around it while I am there. A player system that is out of calibration, or fitted to a piano that is out of regulation, never sounds as good as it should.

Where does a self playing piano belong to?

In a living room where the family gathers, a hotel lobby, a restaurant, a church or a school hall: anywhere a piano would be welcome but nobody is there to play it, a self-playing piano fills the room with the real sound of the instrument, at whatever hour you choose.