New technology provides greater control to paraplegic pianists
By Laura June 
posted October 29th 2008 5:18PM
posted October 29th 2008 5:18PM
posted October 29th 2008 5:18PM
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sounds like a modern equivalent of the talkbox:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_box
Frampton Comes Alive!
do you feeell likeeee we doooo-oooo??
like zaffo from sifl and olly
umm... no... this just controls a pedal more precisely with a persons mouth, allowing in between states instead of just on or off. Let's say on is 1 and off is 0, this would allow for 0.5 or any other number between 0 and 1 (although I'm sure there's a limit to the usable stepping).
A talkbox actually pushes sound through your mouth, allowing you to model the sound with the changes you can make with your mouth. Like if you make a room echo, a talkbox would change the shape of the room on the fly, giving you different echos. I supposed you could alter an electric piano to play through a talkbox, which could be interesting in it's own right...
Sweet though... I'm not disabled, but I have been put out of commission for long periods of time due to injury, and music really helps a lot in situations like that. I can only imagine being permanently told you can't do something like play the piano again.
"modern day equivalent of the talkbox."
i wouldn't say that, since a talkbox modifies the sound coming out of the tube using the shape of your mouth. this technology sounds like you're just biting on a pressure sensitive pad. the only similarity would be that they're both in your mouth. also, i don't get why you say "modern day equivalent," since the talkbox is still widely used and modified today.
"...just as well on a wah pedal, right?"
Awesome, yet cruel joke. I salute you, Laura.
This is one of the great things technology can do for us, it's too bad technology can also make things like Sony's Rolly...
The Rolly is a representation of Sony's sense of humour.
That picture reminds me of a song...
_________________________
I'm a new soul.
I came to this strange world
hoping I could learn a bit ‘bout
how to give and take.
But since I came here
felt the joy and the fear
finding myself making
every possible mistake.
la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...
So, the remotes in the right cheek, and the batteries are in the left? wouldnt that result in the chomping of the wires when the user is trying to activate the pedal?
Biting the wires sends the electric signal from the left side of your cheek all throughout your body and eventually back to the right cheek, giving that persons music inevitably more soul than any other musician up until now. Emo kids, while they will more than likely use bigger batteries to make them cry while composing, will take this phenomenon to the extreme to stay more musically informed than the rest of us.
time crisis II.
LOL good idea, but totally kills the pianists mood.
Imagine watching a pianist play a piece with sustain throughout, something delicate and moving like the first ovement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.14 in C#m Op.27 No.2 ("Moonlight" Sonata to most people). Not only would they be sat with gritted teeth, displaying the worst facial expression ever, but by the time they're finished, they'll have some serious toothache!
That's all well and good, but what about the undersized musicians? Doesn't anyone have something for the 12-inch pianists out there?
Yes, its a job working as an Erotic Motion Picture Soundtrack Composer.
No piano playing involved! You just need to write sleazy saxophone and bass guitar riffs.
well this is just fantastic. the vast paraplegic pianists association will be simply overjoyed.
As a pianist and a piano teacher, gritting one's teeth is NOT A GOOD IDEA when playing. Any tension in the jaw translates to tension in the shoulders, neck, which translates to the arm, wrist and fingers.
Long term usage could possibly lead to tendonidis or carpel tunnel.
Just sayin. I'm all about paraplegics being able to express music on the same level as us non-paraplegics, but I don't want them to injure themselves further.
Where do i get this,and will it work for the bass pedal for the drums, and hi hat how would you do both?? Have ideas but need more help!!