electronics replacing pianos?

[John Ross]

One big thing against the electronic piano is, the availability of parts for 
repair, down the road.
I used to repair electronic instruments, and I can remember, taking a year 
to get a top octave synthesizer for a Farfisa organ. I couldn't get it in 
the US or Canada, and had to get it from Italy. It was my second try in 
Italy, before I got it. Another example, was a Lowery organ, and after 7 
years, the rhythm chip was unavailable.
With pianos, we can modify existing parts, or make replica parts, so the 
piano, like the energizer bunny, just goes and goes and goes.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RicB" <ricb at pianostemmer.no>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 6:42 PM
Subject: electronics replacing pianos?


> David A... Joe... all you guys I like so very much...
>
> Great posts, full of good vibes and enthusiasms...  In particular I like 
> the reoccurring call  to taking the high road.
> But I am still sitting here missing an answer to a perhaps uncomfortable 
> but perhaps very relevant question... one that we all may have to face in 
> increasing degree sooner then we may think.
> IF.... one first accepts for the moment that an electronic based replica 
> of an acoustic piano could be made so as to be indiscernible in every 
> acoustic and touch sense of the word... what would be so bad about 
> this.... indeed.... what would the consequences be good / bad / or neither 
> ?
>
> Such an instrument could do many many things present day pianos cannot. 
> For example play in any and all temperaments at the flick of an eyebrow. 
> Indeed... one could program the thing to real time update its temperament 
> so as to achieve pure thirds or fifths or anything one likes no mater what 
> the key center is or how far one wanders from it in the course of any 
> given piece.  Actually the possibilities for what an such an instrument 
> could do would be virtually boundless.
>
> I seem to be getting a sense that some of you find an unattractiveness to 
> this simply based on the implicit loss of the present day instrument.
>
> But what conflict is there in the pursuit of the high road of excellence 
> if ones goal is the realistic realization of such an electronic 
> replication of the acoustic world... or the rest of it for that matter ?
> We can discuss back and forth how far virtual realities can go in 
> recreating real reality... but for my part I have no doubt that the day is 
> coming where all things real will be indiscernible with all things 
> virtually real. Humans if they are anything, are extremely clever 
> tinkerers.  As a general rule... when first an idea is spawned it is only 
> a question of time before we see it become a reality.  And herein lies the 
> real questions of import IMHO.  Just where the hell are we going by 
> welcoming this virtual world with far more then open arms then many of us 
> seem to want to admit ?
>
> Just some thoughts from the other side of the fence... by one who loves 
> the acoustic piano every much as bit as all of you.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>
>