SoftMRP: a Software Emulation of the Magnetic Resonator Piano

Jonathan Pitkin

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

• Year: 2021
• Location: Shanghai, China
• Article Number: 29
• DOI: 10.21428/92fbeb44.9e7da18f (Link to paper)
• PDF link
• Presentation Video

Abstract:

The Magnetic Resonator Piano (MRP) is a relatively well-established DMI which significantly expands the capabilities of the acoustic piano. This paper presents SoftMRP, a Max/MSP patch designed to emulate the physical MRP and thereby to allow rehearsal of MRP repertoire and performance techniques using any MIDI keyboard and expression pedal; it is hoped that the development of such a tool will encourage even more widespread adoption of the original instrument amongst composers and performers. This paper explains SoftMRP’s features and limitations, discussing the challenges of approximating responses which rely upon the MRP’s continuous sensing of key position, and considering ways in which the development of the emulation might feed back into the development of the original instrument, both specifically and more broadly: since it was designed by a composer, based on his experience of writing for the instrument, it offers the MRP’s designers an insight into how the instrument is conceptualised and understood by the musicians who use it.

Citation:

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{NIME21_29,
 abstract = {The Magnetic Resonator Piano (MRP) is a relatively well-established DMI which significantly expands the capabilities of the acoustic piano. This paper presents SoftMRP, a Max/MSP patch designed to emulate the physical MRP and thereby to allow rehearsal of MRP repertoire and performance techniques using any MIDI keyboard and expression pedal; it is hoped that the development of such a tool will encourage even more widespread adoption of the original instrument amongst composers and performers. This paper explains SoftMRP’s features and limitations, discussing the challenges of approximating responses which rely upon the MRP’s continuous sensing of key position, and considering ways in which the development of the emulation might feed back into the development of the original instrument, both specifically and more broadly: since it was designed by a composer, based on his experience of writing for the instrument, it offers the MRP’s designers an insight into how the instrument is conceptualised and understood by the musicians who use it.},
 address = {Shanghai, China},
 articleno = {29},
 author = {Pitkin, Jonathan},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.21428/92fbeb44.9e7da18f},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 presentation-video = {https://youtu.be/Fw43nHVyGUg},
 title = {SoftMRP: a Software Emulation of the Magnetic Resonator Piano},
 url = {https://nime.pubpub.org/pub/m9nhdm0p},
 year = {2021}
}