Betsy Ross Spinet

[Barbara Richmond]

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Were the new pianos good ones?  ;-)

Barbara Richmond
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Topperpiano@aol.com=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 1:19 PM
  Subject: Re: Betsy Ross Spinet


  Years ago I was privy to some research done by one of the piano =
manufacturers and the MTNA.  Their research showed that the attrition =
rate of students on old upright pianos and spinets over 30 years old was =
about 80% and the attrition rate of students who started lessons on new =
pianos was about 20%.  I no longer have any evidence that this was =
accurate and one could question the findings given the possible bias by =
the piano company and teachers.  You could also speculate on the =
commitment by the parents to keep their children practicing if they had =
made the monetary investment of a new piano. All in all I think the =
results had some real validity.  The problem arises when the student has =
a piano that is so far removed from the quality of the teacher's piano.  =
It also becomes an issue when certain musical requirements are made =
beyond counting and basic dynamics. It is really difficult to create a =
legato line using a piano with a retarded decay rate. And nearly =
impossible to play staccato notes on old uprights with inadequate =
damping and overall ringing.  The results from the piano manufacturer's =
standpoint is that if teachers would recommend new pianos then they =
would keep students longer.  I really can't argue much with this line of =
reasoning given the really horrible pianos that students have purchased =
on a teacher's recommendation. 
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