Abstract: In order to give piano-like key touch to a player in an electronically sound producing mode, a keyboard incorporated in a musical instrument is linked with key action mechanisms associated with hammer mechanisms, and a stopper blocks the hammer shanks before the hammers strike the strings so that noises are not mixed with synthesized tones.

Abstract: A key sensor incorporated in a keyboard musical instrument has a shutter plate attached to a turnable key and photo-interrupters stationary with respect to a key bed, and the shutter plate has an outer bottom edge and an inner bottom edge oblique with respect to a virtual plane where optical paths of the photo-interrupters are extending so that the shutter plate intermittently crosses the optical paths.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument selectively enters into an acoustic sound mode for generating acoustic piano tones and an electronic sound mode for generating electronic sounds instead of the acoustic piano tones, and a stopper is changed between a free position and a blocking position by an actuator controlled through detection with photo-interrupters, thereby eliminating aged deterioration from the position control between the free position and the blocking position.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument allowing a player to perform using acoustic piano tones or electronic sounds is provided. The keyboard is movable between various positions, such as between a raised and a lowered position. In an electronic sound mode, the keyboard is lowered so as to increase a gap between hammer assemblies and associated strings. In this mode, each hammer assembly rebounds on a stopper when a corresponding key is selected, thereby giving a desirable piano touch.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument allowing a player to perform using acoustic tones or electronic sounds is provided. The keyboard is movable between various positions, such as between a raised and a lowered position. In an electronic sound mode, the keyboard is lowered so as to increase a gap between hammer assemblies and associated strings. The keyboard is lowered using cams or lifters to pull down the keyboard so as to increase a gap between hammer assemblies and associated strings. In this mode, each hammer assembly rebounds on a stopper when a corresponding key is selected, thereby giving a desirable piano touch.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument lowers a key bed together with a keyboard, key action mechanisms and hammer mechanisms in a silent mode, and a stopper mechanism and a make-up mechanism cause the depressed keys to actuate the key action mechanisms and damper mechanisms as similar to an acoustic sound mode, thereby allowing a player to feel the key touch usual in a performance without an acoustic sound.

Abstract: In order to give piano-like key touch to a player in an electronically sound producing mode, a keyboard incorporated in a musical instrument is linked with key action mechanisms associated with hammer mechanisms, and a stopper blocks the hammer shanks before the hammers strike the strings so that noises are not mixed with synthesized tones.

Abstract: A player fingers on the keyboard of an automatic player piano and steps on the soft and damper pedals for variety of musical expression in a recording mode, and a controller drives actuators associated with the keys and the pedals as if the player performs, wherein the controller sequentially checks a digital locational signal to see whether or not transit points indicated by the digital locational signal characterize the locus of the plunger and stores digital locational codes indicative of the characterizing transit points only, thereby improving the faithfulness of the performance without sacrifice of the amount of stored data.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator unit is provided over a keyboard of a piano, and each of the electromagnetic actuators of the electromagnetic actuator unit has a solenoid coil wound on a bobbin and a plunger for pushing down one of the keys, wherein the gravity exerted on the plunger is smaller than a recovery force of the key or a return spring coupled to the plunger is provided outside of the bobbin for smoothly moving the plunger without influences of the magnetic field produced by the solenoid coil.

Abstract: An automatic player piano largely comprises mechanical components such as a keyboard, key action mechanisms, hammer mechanisms, damper mechanisms and pedal mechanisms and electrical components such as solenoid operated actuators associated with the keyboard and the pedal mechanism, a controller and sensors, and the pedal mechanism for a soft pedal is further associated with a mute lock mechanism so that the pedal mechanism can cause the hammers closer to the associated music wires for producing faint sounds.

Abstract: An acoustic piano is equipped with an electronic sound generating system, and a key bed structure is angularly movable between an acoustic sound mode and an electronic sound mode for changing gaps between hammer heads and sets of strings, thereby allowing a player to perform a music with acoustic sounds or synthesized sounds.

Abstract: In order to give piano-like key touch to a player in an electronically sound producing mode, a keyboard incorporated in a musical instrument is linked with key action mechanisms associated with hammer mechanisms, and a stopper blocks the hammer shanks before the hammers strike the strings so that noises are not mixed with synthesized tones.

Abstract: Converting method comprising a detecting step for detecting a movement of an action of a piano, calculating step for calculating playing data depending on the movement of the action, correcting step for correcting at least string-striking intensity data in the automatic playing data based on the compared result playing data, recording step for recording the corrected data as the automatic playing data. Furthermore, converting device comprises detecting member for detecting a position of a hammer, calculating member for calculating playing data depending on a position of a hammer, correcting member for correcting the playing data, recording member for recording the corrected data, and driving member for driving a key. The method and device compensates the errors of playing data resulted by a difference of a piano's type or by changing shape of parts in an action, because data is corrected by ratios of lengths of the parts of the piano.