An intriguing Automatic concertina!

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I saw this today in an auction site.

Most unusual claiming to be a Tanzbar 16 key automatic concertina; it appears to have rolls of paper [ like the pianola rolls?] assuming plays tune wth them?

You maybe just sit back and it plays all those vurtuosi master pieces for you?!🙂

 

 

[LesJessop]

A few months ago, Andrew Norman posted a video on the Youtube section of his website of a 'baby tanzbar' being played. 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Well what a fascinating device that is!

I just found Mr Norman's presentation video  of that 'baby' tanzbar.

And it is really just like a Pianola in the way it plays via a roll of paper, with the holes in. Very interesting indeed🌝

[Geoffrey Crabb]

And this

 

https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/topic/17686-a-bit-different-self-playing-1905-german-concertina/

 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Is it still possible to create your own tunes for that device..how is it done?

Suppose it's like a barrel organ?

[wschruba]

8 hours ago, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

Is it still possible to create your own tunes for that device..how is it done?

Suppose it's like a barrel organ?

 

Sure, the same way you make a piano/organ roll, or cob for a music box. 

 

At the simplest, you punch holes in the paper where they are supposed to be.  Back in the day, they had a machine somewhat like a typewriter to make rolls.  They also (with pianos) had devices to capture/record the locations of the marks as a piano was played.  Fun fact, Joplin himself recorded some of his own works in that way, so you can actually "hear" him play his own works [aside: back in the day, there was a pressing of a record, recorded from an instrument playing his rolls]. 

 

I would probably contact Ragtime music to see how they do it, now.  I have one of their reproducing systems in a piano I own, and you can buy new coin rolls (only real difference between a regular roll and a coin roll are 'start' and 'stop' commands punched in the roll) from them.