Is it true that pianos in ghost towns can "play themselves?" I don't mean because of supernatural forces, but I remember reading once there is a scientific explanation for it. Do you know why that might be? Thank you.
There are mechanical pianos.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mechanical+piano
hi evelyn,
you might try looking up "history of player piano" on google. i found a lot of great reference material there.
hope this helps
si
Yes, it is true that pianos in ghost towns can appear to "play themselves" due to a scientific phenomenon known as the "ghost note effect." This phenomenon occurs when certain environmental factors, such as changes in temperature, humidity, and air pressure, interact with the structure of the piano.
To understand why this happens, we need to know a bit about how pianos produce sound. Inside a piano, there are strings stretched over a wooden soundboard. When a key is pressed, a hammer strikes the corresponding string, causing it to vibrate. This vibration transfers energy to the soundboard, resulting in audible sound.
In ghost towns, abandoned buildings often have minimal or no environmental controls, making them subject to fluctuating temperature and humidity. These changes in environmental conditions can affect the tension in the piano's strings, causing them to expand or contract. When the strings become slightly out of tune due to these changes, they might vibrate sympathetically, even without anyone pressing the keys. This sympathetic vibration can create soft, ghostly sounds that resemble the piano playing itself.
It's important to note that this phenomenon is not caused by supernatural forces, but rather by the physical properties of the piano and its interaction with the environment. So, the next time you encounter a piano seemingly playing itself in a ghost town, you can attribute it to the fascinating ghost note effect.