The Violin Virtuoso plays itself

We're pretty much not going to be satisfied until all the musicians of the world have been replaced by either synthesizers, samplers, or robots, which is why it's a relief to see that Paratoud Music Laboratories have come out with the first self-playing violin. Buying one'll set you back $17,500, but you get (we presume) all the virtuosity of a real violin player without any of the debaucherous, hotel-room-trashing antics (seriously, have you ever been to a symphony after-party?).

[Via I4U and TechEBlog]

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 11:30AM]

That looks to be an awesome product!

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 11:38AM]

Can it do vibrato?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 11:57AM]

I see how the bow is played, but how is the fingerboard fingered? I've examined all the pictures and can't see how.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 12:14PM]

... "the system originally went online on August 4th 1997. Human decisions were removed from music composition. Skynet began to learn at a geometric rate. It originally became self aware on August 29th 1997 2:14 am Eastern Time. In the ensuing panic and attempts to shut Skynet down, Skynet retaliated by firing violins at their target sites in Russia. Russia returned fire and three billion musicians lives ended in the nuclear holocaust. This was what has come to be known as Judgment Day for the musicians unsion".

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 1:01PM]

How do they tune it?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 1:35PM]

I, for one, welcome our self-fiddling virtuoso overlords.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 1:42PM]

Peter, you're really posting many more articles than usual today. It's good to hear from you. (That's not sarcastic)

[Blackfeather Posted Aug 23rd 2006 2:22PM]

Here's how it works:
http://www.qrsmusic.com/pianomation/violin2.htm

The strings are just for show.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 7:33PM]

The electro-mechanical music player machine Violano Virtuoso had this QRS device beat by more than 100 years. They had one on display at Disneyland for many years. It really used the violin strings for sound. Here's a URL:

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2002-03-12/ae_feat.html

The Violano used spinning soapstone disks for the bowing and mechanical "fingers" on rods for the neck. It was also sync'd with a player piano "accompanist".

The sound wasn't great, but it played just fine. Everything old is new again.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 23rd 2006 9:41PM]

What no video of this violin that "allegedly" plays itself. ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 3:15AM]

Its an electronic Hurdy Gurdy, Heardy Goody ...
why have people in factories while the robots play the music ? Music does not stir the emotions of a machine.