A Piano with no Wires

Abstract

ACCORDING to a recent report by Science Service, pianos are now being constructed in Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A., with no strings or wires. To produce the tones, strips of steel not more than a few inches long are made to vibrate electrically. The new instrument, called a clavier, uses a piano keyboard to operate the strips producing the notes, which are practically pure tones. These tones, which are almost inaudible, are picked up by magnetic induction and passed through an audio-frequency amplifier. The capacity of the amplifier is about ten times that of the average radio amplifier having a capacity of 30 watts. The player therefore has at his command a tone ranging from a mere whisper to one that would balance an orchestra. The impact noise sometimes audible in a piano is filtered out, and thus the pure tone is produced. The piano was invented by Prof. Lloyd Loar after experiments extending over several years. Through the use of earphones, the piano student can practise his lessons without disturbing anyone, the sound being heard only by himself. The tone volume can be varied over a wide range simply by turning a dial. The operating devices occupy very little space, the clavier consisting of little more than keyboards.