<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV> I remember as a small child living in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas</st1:place></st1:State> in the early 1950’s. We were a typical post WWII family; my father having gone to university on the G.I. bill became a teacher. While living there I remember us buying peanut butter in a glass container that also served as a large drinking glass when the contents were used up. One such glass carried an image on the front of a lady in a fancy hat while the back carried an imprint of the opening melody on After The Ball Is Over<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I have come to find out that this song, written in 1892 by Charles K.Harris ultimately sold 5,000,000, yes five million copies of sheet music. (The first million copies of a 45 RPM in the ‘50’s seems trivial). <o:p> </o:p> This simple fact carries import. It implies the existence of at least  five million piano in that era. The piano was the <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Home</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Entertainment</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> of that era It is generally accepted that there was around 1000 piano manufacturers in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> at the turn of the 20th century. Now, there are nominally four. <o:p> </o:p> The piano manufacturing industry has suffered. In fact it has suffered terribly. For those familiar with extinction numbers, one could easily deduce that the piano is an endangered specie. <o:p> </o:p> The piano has sustained many assaults over the past hundred years.  <o:p> </o:p> The first sound reproducing technology of any significance, the phonograph, was produced in 1888 but really only began to flourish in the early 1900’s. When it did, it was responsible for a huge drop in piano sales. “ Why, gosh we don’t have to pay for piano lessons we can just get a phonograph and listen to Rachmaninoff “ (or Caruso or Kreisler). <o:p> </o:p> In the 1920’s cam the next blow…radio. Gosh, you just have to turn a knob. <o:p> </o:p> Television, available in the 1930’s really bloomed in the 1950’s. Now, we have HD TV  with  1023 channels, football, all manner of diversion and then the Internet. <o:p> </o:p> The ultimate insult?   “Digital Pianos” <o:p> </o:p> A simple question: am I the only one who is deeply offended by the terminology “digital piano”. <o:p> </o:p> I dare suggest that I am not the only Guild member (associate in my case) that finds it appalling that certain well known manufacturers of acoustical instruments have described their offerings of electronic devices that mimic acoustical instruments as pianos.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Let it be known, as obvious as it is, that these are NOT pianos. The very companies whose acoustical  instruments  we regularly service are, simply, helping to put us out of business. <o:p> </o:p> There is clearly a place for digital instruments. The capabilities of some are simply breathtaking.  Many of us, including myself, own one. But they are NOT pianos. <o:p> </o:p> I believe that the acoustical piano developed over the past two hundred years is one of the miraculous inventions that humans ever conceived. No death, no maiming, simple love, joy and excitement. <o:p> </o:p> Would we not be well justified in asking these manufacturers of cease using the term Piano? <o:p> </o:p> <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> </DIV> <DIV>LORENZO LACOVARA</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Piano Exchange BUY  SELL  TUNING  REPAIRS Hoffman Town Square 2225 Wyoming NE Albuquerque, NM 87110</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>(505) 710-9643</DIV></BODY></HTML>