Abstract: An automatic playing musical instrument is provided in which the amount of storage medium to be used is substantially decreased. The automatic playing musical instrument is provided with a key information generating circuit for generating key information corresponding to a depressed key among the plurality of keys. A change of the key information is then detected, and a time interval between one of the change and the other which follows immediately after the one of the change is measured so as to generate a time period data representative of the time interval. Each time the change is detected, a musical performance data comprising the key information and the time period is stored in the storage medium, while on the other hand if the change is not detected, no musical performance data is stored thereby saving the amount of the storage medium to be used.

Abstract: A solenoid driving apparatus for actuating keys of a player piano is provided in which respective key striking strength data can be applied to respective solenoids of keys, so that musical tones can be reproduced correctly and in which the key striking strength data at the time of musical performance can be compensated for high fidelity reproduction. The solenoid driving apparatus includes a plurality of keys and solenoids provided on each key. When a key is depressed, a first key striking strength data corresponding to key striking strength and a data designating the depressed key are generated. The first key striking strength data is then converted into a second key striking strength data so as to make the latter data in linear proportion to an operating or response speed of the solenoid. In accordance with the second key striking strength data, a solenoid driving data is generated, and is applied to the solenoid corresponding to the key designated by the designating data.