Commission work
Hi! Domingo here. Since starting Jazzapation in 2021, I’ve been fortunate to be approached for arranging new rolls for coin pianos/orchestrions. I’ve provided some examples of my work below. For all of my work, I am able to provide a final, “snapped-to-grid” MIDI file that corresponds to the tracking scale of any coin piano/orchestration. Scroll down further for examples of arranging work I do for reproducing/88 note piano rolls.
This is what you receive when I’m still in the editing phase: a computer-simulation of the coin piano in question! In this case, it was a Wurlitzer LX. My computer-simulations aim to create the most realistic representation of what the instrument sounds like. Here we have a brand-new novelty tune composed Adam Swanson and Andrew Sacks, played by Adam, and edited with percussion arrangements and pipe registration by me.
Now, give it a listen as played on a real Wurlitzer LX owned by Glenn Thomas, who commissioned the rolls—note how close I got the computer simulation! Granted, nothing comes close to hearing your work played on a real, historical instrument:
Summer of 2021, I worked with Art Reblitz to transcribe Reblitz’s arrangements made for the new American Roots O-roll to the G-roll scale. Here’s two videos of some great tunes from that project, played on Mark Forer’s Seeburg KT Special:
Here’s the digital sample file sound I generated for the project, a simulation of a Seeburg G, but with the traps multiplexing like a KT Special. All the percussion arrangements are Art’s; I transcribed them and combined/multiplexed snare/wood block, bass-cymbal/tambourine, and tympani/triangle/tambourine/castanets. The pipe registration and dynamics are my own:
Making arrangements for coin pianos is just as time consuming as it is fun! Estimates for what a project will cost takes into account how many folks from Jazzapation in addition to me need to be involved — pianists, transcribers, etc. — and who is available with the proper machinery to perforate the rolls.
What Jazzapation Offers:
PIANISTS - In addition to myself, know a whole bunch, all with extensive repertoire, some knowing rare period music never put on piano rolls! They receive a royalty when we use an existing arrangement of theirs on our rolls. If we want them to make a new arrangement, we have to pay them a commission. We’re all professional musicians, and charge appropriately.
AUXILIARY PERCUSSION AND PIPE REGISTRATION - Coin pianos usually contain more bells and whistles than a standard player piano—literally! I can pepper the pianist’s work with snappy, period-appropriate percussion coloring, as well as mandolin rail, xylophone, pipe, and etc. registration.
EDITING - I have the capability of constructing a MIDI file that corresponds to the tracker scale of any multi-instrument coin piano or orchestrion. They’re all neatly snapped to a grid to aid creating the perforation file when imported into perforator software.
Custom reproducing/88 note rolls
Many folks approach me with MIDI files of songs they found on the internet, wondering if I can make a piano roll out of it. Most of these files, however, were not arranged to be played on a player piano. Arranging for player piano is a skill that requires extensive knowledge of what a player piano is capable of, both technically and musically. While we do not have the perforation machinery to make a roll out of that MIDI file of the Mission Impossible theme song that you found, we CAN make a bespoke arrangement, specially arranged for musical excellence, of a tune for 88 note, reproducing, or coin piano roll. Here are some examples of modern music I’ve arranged for player piano:
HOWEVER, it is not as easy as making one piano roll of your favorite song in a day. STEP ONE is having a beautiful, custom arrangement made, which can take up to three weeks. STEP TWO is sending the file to our perforator partner, who will charge for and make a minimum of five copies of the roll. They don’t operate their perforators regularly, so it may take up to a month after the arrangement is complete before the rolls arrive in your mailbox. Depending on the project, the price will range $300 - $1,000 for the arrangement and $100 to $200 for perforating the rolls, totaling between $400 to $1,200+.
Email rolls@jazzapation.com to enquire about commissions!