Pianette Automatique
Music Installation

The Pianette Automatique is a new, self-playing, midi controlled musical installation, created by Toby Laing, with support from Blake Johnston (electronics, software), Andrew Laking (construction, production); Michael Piper (development stages); and Jeremy Randerson (wiring).

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In the early 1930s, The Eavestaff Mini Pianette created a sensation upon release, attracting crowds of curious onlookers for days, intrigued as they were by the arrival of this vision of a stylish and efficient future. 

The tiny physical footprint of the piano was revolutionary: an instrument that could be inserted into even the most confined of living quarters. But just as significant was its achievement in fighting back against the inevitable cultural shift away from instruments and towards radio and hi fi.

The size of the instrument was attractive to the mass market, as was the industrial design. Subtle Art Deco motifs and a progressive use of hardwoods and coated steel combined into a musical product that generated high levels of desire and infatuation at a time before the establishment of consumer culture. They were even endorsed by royalty.

Sadly, the Eavestaff Mini Pianette turned out to be acoustically poor, extremely difficult to tune, and therefore ultimately of little value to anyone who understood instrument acoustics and tone – namely musicians. As such, there are thousands of these unwanted pianos scattered across the world.

But all is not lost. A team of enthusiasts led by Toby Laing have revived an unwanted mini pianette and converted it to a Pianette Automatique, thanks to off-the-shelf 19th century technology and some clever electronic work by Michael Piper.

The Pianette has been prepared with an array of midi controlled devices that strike various parts of the instrument: key levers, strings, the soundboard and chassis, creating a new set of sounds that can play the improbable compositions of Toby Laing and others automatically, with ease.

This project was made possible thanks to our Lōemis Membership scheme – if you would like to support future Lōemis events like this, please visit our Supporters page here.