electronic pianos

[Rolf von Walthausen & Nancy Larson]

First of all the director of the school should be advised that what s/he is
referring to are KEYBOARDS not pianos.   Other than the theory/composition
department (which uses keyboards attached to computers), the only places here
where keyboards are used are for class piano and a teaching studio where the
instructor simply wanted something on which to occasionally bang out the melody
line to make sure his brass students play on pitch.

Several years ago a number of pianos were replaced with keyboards in some
practice rooms and studios during the summer Arts Camp.  We still haven't heard
the end of the wailing and gnashing of teeth from students and faculty.  When
presented with the choice, most of the musicians said they preferred a slightly
out-of-tune and out-of-regulation piano to a "concert-grand sounding keyboard
that never needs tuning".  And don't even TALK about keyboards to piano
instructors and accompanists -- especially if they happen to be scheduled to
work/rehearse in that classroom at OSU at some point...

If your school has money to put keyboards in classrooms then great -- add them
to the list of equipment in those rooms.  As tools for learning theory,
composing pieces and experimenting with sounds/temperaments, keyboards can
perform unique functions.  But they're not substitutes for pianos.

Rolf von Walthausen
Interlochen Center for the Arts

>
> At 10:00 PM 2/21/01 -0500, you wrote:
>
> This afternoon I was asked by the director of the school of music what I
> thought of the idea of having
> electronic pianos in the classrooms rather than acoustic.  They figure that
> this way they could use
> some of the mounds of money slated for technology i. e. computers to buy
> pianos.  My reply was quite
> predictably that I thought it was a bad idea.
>
> I would like some input:
>
> 1.  Does anyone have experience with electronic pianos in classrooms?  Are
> they working out?
>
> 2.  I would like to hear some opinions. What do you see as the pros and
> cons?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mitch Staples
> Ohio State University