Create Your Piano Roll
Perforation Pattern
Historical Roll Archive
Browse classic compositions from the golden age of player pianos. These simplified representations show note placement and timing for educational and creative purposes.
Für Elise
Beethoven, 1810
Popular piano piece adapted for player piano rolls. Known for its characteristic opening arpeggios.
Clair de Lune
Debussy, 1905
Lyrical impressionist piece that showcases the expressive capabilities of player pianos.
Gymnopédie No.1
Satie, 1883
Minimalist composition that highlights the evenness of player piano mechanics.
Für die Blondine
Schubert, 1826
Waltz from the opera, popular in player piano arrangements for its danceable tempo.
Using This Editor
Getting Started
Click any white key on the piano to add a perforation at that pitch. Click again to remove it. The horizontal axis represents time, with each column representing a beat at the current tempo setting.
The perforation grid shows your roll as holes in paper. Each hole represents a note that will play when the roll passes through the mechanism.
Tempo Control
Adjust the tempo slider to change playback speed. Historical rolls are calibrated to typical 1920s player piano speeds. Faster tempos create denser perforation patterns.
Play and Loop
Click Play to hear your sequence. The Stop button halts playback. Enable Loop to repeat continuously. This simulates how a player piano would play a roll repeatedly.
Printing Rolls
Click Print Roll Template to open a printable page with your perforation pattern. Cut along the outer border and tape to a roll cylinder for mechanical playback.
Standard player piano rolls are 10.5 inches wide. The template includes margin marks for proper alignment.
Sharing Your Work
Use Share Link to create a URL you can send to others. The link encodes your entire roll in the browser history, so it works even offline.
Export Data downloads your roll as JSON for backup or further editing in other tools.
Historical Notes
Player pianos were popular from 1900-1920s. They used perforated paper rolls to automatically play piano music. Each hole represented a note, and the pattern of holes determined the melody and rhythm.
Assumptions and Limitations
- This editor simulates perforation patterns, not actual mechanical playback.
- Historical songs are simplified representations for educational purposes.
- Printable templates require manual cutting and assembly for mechanical use.
- Tempos above 180 BPM may create overlapping perforations.
- The tool does not account for pedal markings or expression dynamics.
Last updated: January 2026
This editor exists because vintage music enthusiasts need affordable ways to create and share music for player pianos without expensive mechanical equipment.