• Welcome to pianola.co.nz! Here you can listen to the performances of the great pianists and arrangers of the past, converted from the original player piano rolls to modern MIDI format!

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  The heydey of the player piano was between 1900 and 1930, when these self-playing instruments brought the ability to have live music to every home, prior to records, discs and radios becoming widely available (and of acceptable sound quality). During this time, literally hundreds of thousands of piano rolls, recorded and arranged by some of the most famous pianists of the era, were produced by dozens of music roll companies. Music to suit every taste was available, from classical to ragtime to the popular hits of the day.

  

  Now, over 100 years after the player piano was invented, time has taken its toll on the paper music rolls. Thanks to the dedication of enthusiasts worldwide, the technology now exists to preserve this wonderful music for all time, using custom-built optical scanners and software. What you hear on your computer is exactly what was recorded or arranged onto roll, in many cases over 90 years ago.

  I've made these scanned piano rolls available for all to download and listen to, free of charge. All I request in return is that, if you enjoy the music, you sign my guestbook and let me know.
  
  To start listening, click the 'Piano Roll MIDI scans' link on the menu at the top of the page. Other interesting parts of the site include the  Piano Roll Artists page, where you can read biographical details about some of the pianists who made the rolls. Want to watch the piano keys move on your screen as the music plays, just like a real player piano, while viewing the full details of each rollscan? Click here to download the best MIDI player in the world - and it's free! 
  
  Enjoy the music!

To search or listen to the complete archive of over 2000 scanned piano rolls, visit the Piano Roll MIDI Scans page. Below, you'll find a small selection of my latest scans.