Here are the plans for a theoretical piano. It has all the workings of a regular concert grand, but instead of the keys facing the piano like normally, they face directly opposite of the body of the piano. To keep the keys functioning as normal, you have the same bottom as a pedalboard organ. But instead of open keys, the board where the 32 foot pedals rests is closed, and acts as a tunnel for extra extensions to make striking the keys engage the action as normal. To make hitting the keys engage the action, the undersides of the key tops have long felt-tipped wires that press another set of keys at the base of the tunnel section. These keys have long wires as well that extend all the way from the keys to the piano action. There are a few ways for these felt tips to engage the action, but the one I propose is for the very final set of felt tip wire ends to strike another set of keys on top and off center of yet another set of keys, which engage the action, causing the hammer to strike the strings as normal.

Obviously I realize that this type of piano would be quite costly and would not offer much to a performer other than the ability to face the audience while performing. Pedals and seating would also be a concern, because the only way to have all three pedals on a Reversi piano without disrupting other parts of it would to be to place the pedals where they would usually go, and pass them through the tunnel, and protrude them from the pianists feet to be pressed and released as normal. The bench would be built into the piano, resting on top of the tunnel section.

As far as maintinence is concerned, to make up for the fact that you couldn't just loosen a few screws, pull off the wood parts at either end of the keys and pull the action out, you would make the tunnel detachable, and you would remove the section of the tunnel that goes from where the piano main body starts to the action off (that is, the tunnel section would be split into two parts: from the keys to the base of the piano, and from the base of the piano up to the action) so that you can get to the action to service it.



Please, tell me your thoughts, concerns and improvements for this idea. Also, PLEASE DO NOT POST THINGS SAYNG TO JUST NOT MESS WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE PIANO. THIS IS JUST AN IDEA, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING I EVER EXPECT TO SEE MAKE ITS WAY TO THE MANURFACTURING LINE.

Crazy.

But not far from possible.

Directly opposite? As in 180 degrees? Don't you mean 90 degrees? Surely a "regular concert grand" would still be in its normal orientation, that is to say with the wavy side facing the audience, and the long straight side (on which the lid hinges are) away from the audience, so that the lid, when up, still reflects the sound towards the audience.Quite so. Cost apart, one needs to ask what real benefit attaches to that ability. I can understand that a performer might wish to face the audience, but can also imagine that he or she might prefer not to (to avoid distraction, for one). Besides, unless playing from memory, the sheet music would be bang in the middle of the player's line of sight to the audience.

Tell us one thing about this auxiliary console you envisage, which faces away from the piano. You seem to be saying that wires run straight down from the keys to this tunnel. This seems to imply that this first set of wires will be protected by some sort of enclosure, i.e. the console is opaque and the audience will only be able to see that part of the performer which protrudes over the top of it, i.e. just head and part of the torso, possibly some of the arms as well. That being the case, Is there really enough benefit here over and above simply rotating a normal piano round? Then the performer can still see the audience by looking over the top of the piano. Admittedly, this does have the slight drawback that the lid would need to be removed, which would change the acoustics somewhat.

Of course your scheme is only helpful for solo piano recitals. For concertos or chamber music it is more important that the pianist be able to see the other performers than the audience.

What a daft idea. Had pianists wish to face their audience, pianos would have been built differently since a long time.

Once again, this is just an idea. You obviously completley ignored the last half of my post. I don't need to hear about how daft or ridiculous or foolish this idea is. It is simply my idea. Instead of completley cutting down the idea, why not provide more positive feedback?

Ah, you want a daft idea taken seriously !
I did not realize that because I did indeed ignore that part of your post with all the capital letters

Well to be serious, I don't want all the sound of the piano going in one ear (if I imagine your instrument correctly). The current configuration accomplishes two perfections: it allows the pianist to audit the sound closely and in a balanced way, yet the lid of the piano allows for huge reflection of the sound 90 degrees to the axis of the pianist and instrument so that the audience may hear with greatest fulness. Some might add a 3rd: visualization of the profile of the performer. If I had to look into the eyes of the audience while playing ... I would just rather not do that.

Edit: I see now that maybe the instrument would be pointed backstage (?) such that the sound is now reflected to stage left (audience right): if so then it's even worse.