Prepare to be amazed. This Saturday, July 26th, LA composer Deru will present a unique musical experience at Gray Area in San Francisco: a concert performed by three robot pianos.
These aren’t your typical player pianos. They’ve been modified and enhanced to create something entirely new. Custom-built robotic mechanisms sit atop traditional upright pianos, playing them live via USB MIDI using ESP32-S3 microcontrollers.
The Genesis of the Robot Orchestra
The story began during the pandemic. Deru recorded an album, “We Will Live On” (which will be performed at the concert), on a Yamaha Disklavier, a type of player piano. The challenge then became: how to bring this album to a live audience? The answer wasn’t simple.
Deru discovered an online community of DIY player piano enthusiasts, sparked by Brandon Switzer’s open-source project (https://github.com/bbswitzer/pianoproject). This led to a Discord group (https://discord.gg/vE9uPg2y) and further development by Josh Phillips, who created a design for an over-the-top player piano mechanism (https://github.com/japhillips87/player_piano).
Inspired by this collaborative spirit, the team adapted Josh’s PCB designs (with some modifications due to part availability) and chose the ESP32-S3 to enable USB MIDI control. They then set about building more pianos – three in total – for the upcoming concert.
A Sneak Peek Behind the Curtain
Want a glimpse into the creative process? Check out these rehearsal videos:
- Tuning one of the robot pianos: https://youtu.be/tD1tcXoxsiw
- All three pianos playing together: https://youtube.com/shorts/gr1l6a6vt28
More Than Just Pianos
The concert promises a rich soundscape, featuring not only the three robot pianos but also two guitar amps and a pair of metal resonators, all arranged in the round. It’s a chance to experience music in a completely new way.
This San Francisco performance is just the beginning. If all goes well, a larger tour will follow, bringing this innovative blend of technology and music to a wider audience.
Join Deru this Saturday at Gray Area and witness the future of music.
