electronics replacing pianos?

[RicB]

Hei Stéphane

This is an excellent post. You remind all of us that we are not talking 
about electronic instruments of yesterday... or even today... but those 
of tomorrow. And you rightly point out that they are solving more of the 
acoustical puzzle each year. And as I said twice now... they dont really 
need to get all the way... they only need to get good enough to be able 
to offer an overall better deal then the entry level upright.   And that 
I have no doubt whatsoever they will do. How long it will take is 
another matter.  And you are correct... in the neutral sense of the 
word... this is all very much about a vulgarization of the instrument. 
On the other hand... when one considers the average Betsy Ross, 
Wurlitzer drop action spinet... similar Story and Clarks etc etc etc.... 
one has to wonder in the end what vulgarization is to be preferred.   
All this looks away from any far reaching consequences for the acoustic 
industry at large of course... which is what really concerns me about 
all this.

Still.. this is long term thinking all of it.  But like David S said... 
I sure hope my grandkids get a life full of acoustic music.  I wouldnt 
bet my life on it tho... :)

My mind is brought to think of a book I once read...  "Player Piano" by 
Kurt Vonnegut.  If you havnt read this and are curious about where my 
head is when it comes to all this... ol Kurt spells it out about as well 
as it ever could be in this book.  And yes... for those of you who have 
read it... they (humans) do indeed tear down their toys.... but when all 
is said and done they start tinkering them back together again.

Cheers
RicB




    Hi Mike, and all.

    I second what your venerable organist said : I too had always the
    feeling that electronic music was tiring, much tiring compared with
    real world acoustic music.  I must say that I have the feeling that
    this is beginning to change with the new electronic standards.  My
    understanding of this phenomenon is that the electronic version, or
    be it the vintage electronic version, of the sound is (was) much
    more SIMPLE as the real acoustic thing which our ears are naturally
    accustomed to.  This is about to change though.  Electronics get by
    the year closer and closer to the real thing.  Fascinating world we
    live in !

    Now, reading all the interesting posts on this topic, the idea comes
    to my mind that the real problem is vulgarisation.  I hope this is
    the right word in english.  It means : making something available to
    a huge lot of people.  It also means, in the same process, making
    that thing less "select".  Like the pocket books, who are real good
    at bringing nice authors to the average Joe, it has the side effect
    that most of the average Joes don't get the ultimate worth included
    inside the text.  Let me explain further.  Even I, who am definately
    involved in pianos, will never, I mean never, have the kind of bucks
    necessary to buy a Dale Erwin customised Steinway piano.  No,
    never.  Though I really would like this. But other alternatives
    stand for me (that is the motto).  There is a mean for me to posess
    a good piano that will do.  What I want to say is that in the
    specialization niches, it is always the same : you have to pay much,
    very much for something that is barely a little better.  Of course,
    for the specialist, that little better means everything.  That is
    the problem.  I have followed the evolution in recording industry
    from top select recording studios absolutely inaccessible to Joe, to
    the contemporary home studio, which everyone could afford.  Of
    course, there is a difference in quality, but no more a difference
    that would convince me to pay three times the price of my whole home
    studio for only one day rent at the real thing.  I suppose the
    persons who buy electronic keyboards have that kind of reasonning.

    It was all more simple in the days when excellence was simply
    reserved to some few, happy few, excellent people.  

    Stéphane Collin.