I believe this is just a concept, not actually prototyped yet (not sure) - here is the Ravenchord piano, a totally new way to construct the innards of a piano - https://www.whipsaw.com/work/ravenchord-piano
It would use solenoids to transmit the key presses to the hammers. While I was pondering that, I wondered if a self-tuning piano could be made, whereby actuators could re-tension the strings. When in tuning mode, the 88 actuators and sensors in turn detect the frequency of the string and then adjust it.
I hope it sounds better than their noisy video. It’s still just an upright laid over. Strings too short to sound “grand” and the idea of solenoids instead of direct touch doesn’t do anything for me.
As for self-tuning, I could see that using strong motors. Still, gonna need over 200 of them. Would be pricey. There are many more than 88 strings in even a spinet piano. Bass section has one or two per note, the rest of the piano 3 strings per note.
At some point, just buy a good digital with hammer action instead of trying to do all this.
Ah, you are correct. I forgot the multiple strings thing. Of course digitals do these tuning adjustments so easily, like just temperaments and A=432 hz
There was this self-tuning piano; is that what you are remembering? The only digital component is the computer that does the tuning (by heating the strings); it is not a “digital piano”.
No idea whether he ever sold any, but apparently he is still around enough to have appeared in a Youtube interview in 2023.