electronics replacing pianos?

[Robin Stevens]

 Ric, following on from your very good forward vision scenario of the future
of acoustic pianos the demand for "live" tuners and technicians could be on
the same downward path.
Maybe not in the next twenty years...but after that...who know?

Robin Stevens ARPT
South Australia

 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: RicB
Date: 01/04/07 05:41:32
To: pianotech at ptg.org
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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