BluesTone Tracker Bar Comparison

A guide to playing reproducing rolls and expression rolls on your 88-note player piano

You can play any Automatic expression roll or Ampico / Duo-Art / Welte reproducing piano roll on a standard 88-note player piano by simply taping over the unneeded channels of your tracker bar with every-day Scotch tape. I usually use a piece about 2" long, loop the last 1/4" back on itself for easy removal later on, then cover the undesired channels as shown below. I let the tape extend vertically above and below the face of the tracker bar so the roll can't snag on it during play or rewind, and I never have any problems.

 Channel

 standard 88-note

 Automatic (expression)

 Ampico

 Duo-Art

 Welte (Licensee)

 0

--

--

amplifier (Ampico B)

--

--

 1

 --

--

 bass slow cres.

--

bass mf off 

 2

--

full vacuum

bass level 1

rewind

bass mf on

3

 sustain

sustain

sustain

sustain

bass cresc. off

4

--

express. softer

bass level 2

(snakebite) 

 bass cresc. on

5

--

 express. louder

bass fast cresc.

(snakebite) 

bass sf off 

6

 A (note #1)

rewind 

bass level 3 

accomp't. 1

bass sf on 

7

A# 

shutoff

bass cancel lvls.

accomp't. 2

hammer rail off

8

B

B (note #3)

 B (note #3)

accomp't. 3

hammer rail on

9

 C

C

C

accomp't. 4

C (note #4)

10

 C#

C#

C#

C# (note #5) 

C#

 |

|

|

|

|

 # of playing notes:

(up to 88)

(86)

 (83)

(80) 

 (80)

|

|

|

|

|

88

G

G

G

G

G (note #83)

89

G#

G#

G#

G# (note #84)

rewind 

90

 A

A

A (note #85)

 theme 4

(blank)

91

 A#

A#

 rewind

 theme 3

 sustain on

92

B

B

 treb cancel lvls.

 theme 2

 sustain off

93

C (note #88)

C (note #88)

treb level 3

 theme 1

 treble sf on

94

--

bass hammer rail

treb fast cresc.

(snakebite) 

 treble sf off 

95

--

treble hammer rail 

 treb level 2

(snakebite) 

 treble cresc. on

96

--

accent 

 hammer rail

shutoff

treble cresc. off

97

--

 play

 treb level 1

hammer rail

treble mf on

98

--

--

 treb slow cresc.

--

treble mf off

99

--

--

sub intensity (Ampico B)

--

--

 Channel

 standard 88-note

 Automatic

 Ampico

 Duo-Art

 Welte

Notice that 4 of these 5 systems provide for the same automatic sustain channel, so don't cover that channel with tape! To add sustain while playing Welte rolls you'll want to watch the on / off signals in the roll and manually activate the sustain yourself. Don't worry, it's easy! Sometimes you can see the tape through recut roll paper, which makes it easier to keep track of the sustain on / off signals. Now you can listen to your reproducing rolls with as many levels of expression as your little heart (and feet) desire. Have fun! ;-)

This page last updated 9-17-2008

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