This is very unusual and makes us wonder what the possibilities could be in the long term for restoring old recordings. But it's also one of those things you would like to believe, but your brain keeps saying, no way this can work. Zenph Studios is claiming that they have developed a software that has some pretty amazing capabilitites when used for restoring piano recordings. The concept is a leap beyond the digital remastering process we are familiar with and if true, this will take re-mastering to a new level with exciting possibilities. It's an ambitious project and really it's an intriguing idea, you just hope is not a hype.
They are saying that by simply playing back a piano recording, they can capture and make a brand new product. Not only can they take a damaged or poorly recorded mono vinyl version, to high definition surround sound - but they say they can take us back to the moment the recording was made and recreate the original performance!
| Zenph's software analysis determines the precise keystrokes, pedal movement and timing that went into a performance. 'Our process is a leap beyond the recording to the original performance itself," says Zenph president John Q. Walker. 'The process even snares the individual notes within dense harmonies, so each can be reproduced with their individual shades of touch and dynamics. In a modern recording studio, the recreated performance can then become a high quality recording that takes listeners back to the original moment when the artist was at work.
It's truly striking to hear the difference between a source recording and our finished product. Wouldn't it be incredible to hear greats like Sergei Rachmaninoff or Jelly Roll Morton play again as if they were in the room?" |
Old recordings no matter what the quality, can yield modern, high-quality CDs. This really sounds a bit far fetched, but they are going to have a concert soon to show off the process. Zenph will use a Disklavier Pro computer-driven grand piano, capable of playback of the high-definition MIDI data to activate the keys and pedals.
Source: Music Industry News
