Actuator control in automatic performance of musical instrument

A method for controlling a musical instrument, the musical instrument including:

• a performance operator;
• an actuator configured to actuate the performance operator, the actuator including a movable member that, when moving, abuts against the performance operator to move the performance operator;
• a first sensor configured to detect motion of the performance operator;
• and a second sensor configured to detect motion of the movable member of the actuator, the method comprising:
• determining, via a processor and based on outputs of the first and second sensors, whether or not the performance operator and the movable member are currently in a mutually separated state;
• and
• controlling, via the processor, the actuator in such a manner that the performance operator and the movable member are in contact with each other, upon determination that the performance operator and the movable member are currently in the mutually separated state.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium containing a program executable by a processor to perform a method for controlling a musical instrument, the musical instrument including:

• a performance operator;
• an actuator configured to actuate the performance operator, the actuator including a movable member that, when moving, abuts against the performance operator to move the performance operator;
• a first sensor configured to detect motion of the performance operator;
• and a second sensor configured to detect motion of the movable member of the actuator, the method comprising:
• determining, based on outputs of the first and second sensors, whether or not the performance operator and the movable member are currently in a mutually separated state;
• and
• controlling the actuator in such a manner that the performance operator and the movable member are in contact with each other, upon determination that the performance operator and the movable member are currently in the mutually separated state.