John Cage Prepared Piano

Sample CD

Big Fish Audio and the John Cage Foundation are proud to present the John Cage Prepared Piano. The original prepared piano and the only samples ever to be authorized by the estate of world-renown composer, John Cage. This particular collection of sounds was created for use in his magnum opus composition, Sonatas & Interludes (February 1946-March 1948). Cage's technique of "preparing" a piano was a radical departure from standard piano composition. Using his original materials and following the precise instructions found at the head of his published score, various "mutes" were inserted between the strings of the keys, then each note pristinely recorded and programmed to bring you the instrument as Cage himself both envisioned and performed. Forty-five of the piano's eighty-eight keys were prepared, eleven with double preparations; three dynamic levels in five articulations comprise a total of 1,320 samples! This landmark achievement makes an authentic prepared piano, and by extension the works of John Cage, available to sampler owners in one of the most expansive digital instruments ever created. Whether you are a classical pianist looking for a portable prepared piano, an electronic musician looking to experiment with unusual organic sounds, or an admirer of Cage's unprecedented genius, this little piece of history will leave you in reverent awe.