Spencer's E-Rolls
Walter Tenten's e-Valve system
88-Note player piano equipped with e-Valves
Tom and Kay Bode's Ampico B w/Peterson Valves
Peter Coggin's upright Ampico player piano equipped with e-Valves
A Mason & Hamlin Ampico B equipped with e-valves devised by Bob Hunt
Michael Barisonek's Orchestrelle equipped with e-valves
Rick McDowell's Wurlitzer 165 circus band organ equipped with e-valves
Glen Jedlicka's custom built Wurlitzer 125 circus band organ equipped with e-valves
MIDI Control for Frati-Hymnia Orchestrion
MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface
e-valve Discussion Group (no longer active)

What Is An E-roll?

e-Valve Equipped Pneumatic Instruments

In recent years, a number of clever people have developed methods of marrying leading edge electronic technology with turn-of-the-century pneumatic technology, to make it possible to "play" a player piano/organ from a nearby computer loaded with a CD containing many thousands of midi files of player piano music roll performances.

The most significant of these recent developments has emerged from Spencer Chase in Northern California. His e-Valve system has noe been installed in some 25+ pneumatically operated reproducing pianos, all performing trouble-free. More may be learned about this most important initiative by clicking on:

Spencer's E-Rolls

As a beginning for this web page display of techical details, Walter Tenten in Germany has kindly provided an English language translation of a description of how he equipped his reproducing grand piano with his own design of e-valves. Click on:

Walter Tenten

Here are a couple of pics of an 88-note pumper player piano equipped with a set of relays, actuated under midi control; a initiative developed about 10 years ago. See:

88-Note player piano equipped with e-Valves

Here's a couple of pics of how Peter Coggins has modified his upright Ampico player piano with e-valves.

Peter Coggin's upright Ampico player piano equipped with e-Valves

Here's how Willy van der Reijden has built a MIDI controlled Frati-Hymnia Orchestrion with e-valves. See:

MIDI Control for Frati-Hymnia Orchestrion

Here's what Mike Ames suggests for linking a computer to a pneumatic musical instrument. See:

MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface

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