Automatic performance device for a keyboard instrument

An automatic performance device for a keyboard instrument having actions, hammers, dampers, strings and a soundboard, said automatic performance device comprising:

• operators provided in the keyboard instrument for producing sounds, said operators comprising keys provided in a keyboard of the keyboard instrument;
• target performance state designation means for producing target performance information for the keyboard instrument;
• real performance state detection means for detecting an operation state of the operators and producing a detection output, wherein said real performance state detection means detects at least one of transition, velocity, acceleration, load of key depression and sound generating or ceasing timing of the operators and at least one component of the actions, hammers, dampers, strings and soundboard, and wherein said real performance state detection means includes a hammer sensor provided at a location of a frame adjacent one of the hammers for detecting transition, velocity or acceleration of the hammer and a string sensor provided at a location on the frame adjacent one of the strings for detecting vibration of the string;
• actuation means for actuating the operators;
• control means for controlling the actuation means comprising error detection means for detecting a difference between the detection output of the real performance state detection means and the target performance information;
• and
• operator actuating signal generation means for generating an operator actuating signal for correcting the target performance information to eliminate the difference and supplying the operator actuating signal to the actuation means, wherein said control means stops, in response to an output from the hammer sensor, supply of the operator actuating signal to said actuation means before the hammer reaches the position at which the hammer strikes the string.