electronics replacing pianos?

[reggaepass at aol.com]

Ric,

  Thanks --as always-- for your very thoughtful input. I work in a 
conservatory situation, I'm a member of a family of musicians (all 
acoustic), and my wife won't take a piano student unless they have a 
(decent) piano (in my book, the term "acoustic piano" is redundant, 
much as "live music" was prior to recordings). So my existence is 
somewhat sheltered from the harsh realities you describe. It is 
valuable for me to be reminded of the "cold shower" of the your future 
vision.

 Best,

 Alan Eder


 -----Original Message-----
 From: ricb at pianostemmer.no
 To: pianotech at ptg.org
 Sent: Wed, 3 Jan 2007 11:14 AM
 Subject: electronics replacing pianos?

 Hi Alan, and others. 
  
  I know my position on this is an uncomfortable one. But I think I 
really have to stick with it because I really do think sooner or later 
the electronic version of the piano will simply become to attractive an 
alternative to the market for the industry to be able to sustain 
itself. I see the first serious stage of electronic replacements 
happening already now in schools and in various less serious minded 
concert situations. In hotels over here there are very few acoustic 
pianos left around. They rip out the guts of a grand and stick a 
keyboard in there.... literally.  
  As the electronic piano becomes more and more like its acoustic 
ancestor the market will realize that they are cheaper, do not need 
tuning, are portable and can do all kinds of things the acoustic piano 
cant. When that happens all the low end pianos will start to 
disappear.... and the companies that make them as well.... the 
knowledge base will be substantially weakened exasperating the 
situation. In the end.... not in my life time certainly... but sooner 
or later... only a handfull of makers will survive as 
specialty/nostalgic builders who only put out a few hundred world wide 
each year. 
  
  We are entering the age of virtual reality folks.... the industrial 
revolution is going to look bleak compared to whats in store for us in 
the comming 100 years. (if we can keep from blowing ourselves to 
smithereens that is).  
  But for all you acoustic lovers out there... and I am one of them... 
we can all hope I am dead wrong. :) 
  
 Cheers 
 RicB 
  
   Ric and List, 
      A hundred years ago the "home entertainment system" was a piano.   
The piano's place took a hit when radio came along, but did not 
   disappear. T.V. stole much of radio's thunder, but did not replace 
   it entirely by a long shot. Electronic keyboards are, IMHO, a 
   welcome replacement to the lowest PSOs, but haven't had a 
   significant impact on pianos of good quality. Computers are another 
   predominant distraction from all of the aforementioned technologies, 
   yet we have new piano manufacturers throwing their hats into the 
   ring, satellite radio, more television stations than ever, and 
    electronic keyboards available for the price of a decent meal.     I 
guess what I am getting at is that the world has become more 
   crowded with things that vie for our attention, but the competition 
   posed by the new doesn't necessarily mean the extinction of the old. 
     Cheers, 
     Alan Eder 
  


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