Harkening back to the days of Scott Joplin's 'The Entertainer' (a famous tune for piano roll days): piano rolls were an expensive but popular way to have some excellent piano music in your own home, regardless of your skill level. While the ghostly appearance of piano keys playing themselves likely entertained children for hours, the music cut into these rolls was read by a specific type of mechanical piano called a Player Piano. It played itself. Just load in the piano roll, pump the pedals or turn it on, and off it went.

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