electronics replacing pianos?

[David Lawson]

When was the last time you saw a recital on a EC? How many people would go
to hear a full classical concert played on one, -zilch.
We are pretty safe guys, just look at all the pianos out there that are
still in need of our services!!
David Lawson Wangaratta Australia
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RicB" <ricb at pianostemmer.no>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 6:14 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
>
>
>