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Electronic pianos use electronic means of sound generation & are not the subject of these pages.
In theory it may be possible to build a piano using purely electrical means of sound signal generation. With no mechanical resonators or electronics. No practical instrument of this type has yet been devised (see Telharmonium).
There are a variety of ways in which electronic piano synthesis can be accomplished. Early types were analogue, mostly subtractive: Individual oscillators, as in the RMI piano or a divided master oscillator in most other efforts. Early digital designs include the Yamaha PF series, using FM synthesis, a more interesting sound than subtractive analogue.Most current electronic pianos produce sound by playing short recordings (samples), of genuine acoustic or electro-mechanical instruments. These are usually more realistic than analogue types & are getting better. They currently still fall short of the performance capabilities & feel of the originals that they imitate.
© Ron Lebar. Updated: 16-6-9. Loaded: