<html> <body> Thankfully, that's NOT the case at the university where I work! About all they use the "keyboards" for are for beginners and composing on the computer/keyboard!!!!!! Avery Todd University of Houston At 05:02 PM 1/13/2007, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> The dealer locally has told me they are selling a lot more keyboards than acoustics.  Does anyone have any real numbers, I can never really find anything online?  One dealer said that a rep has told them he didn't think they would manufacture verticals in 5 years.  The public has already disagreed with us.  Side by side in an acoustic environment is a very thin part of the market for most techs.  Classical piano and orchestra where the acoustic matters is not a large part of the tuning market.  If we concede new home purchases, public schools, churches, a lot of piano teachers it seems the market has been already been heavily affected.  Piano majors are down in the universities I do, the music program is more of a support for the liberal arts education.  The music department is doing a class on imovie, itunes, and garage band.  It is all digital tech with downloadable loops, put together to make music.  Phil   "It's like professional wrestling, we know it's not real but we listen anyway" - Tom Petty       Well... they do a pretty fair job I'll admit... but most of the critics statements still hold true about the thing in my book.  Like you say.. side by side in an acoustic environment its easy to tell the difference still.  But they are good... and they will get better and better...  A quick search showed around 5000 USD for the most expensive one I could find on the net. <pre>btw... David Porritt I do agree its farther off then I will live.... but whether or not the buying public will start dissagreeing with us in large enough numbers to have the kind of impact I am afeared of is a different matter. </pre></blockquote></body> </html>