Betsy Ross Spinet

[Richard Brekne]

Hey Mr Invisible :)

I suspect that this rather correctly mirrors the situation... if it isnt 
actually conservatively positve.

Cheers
RicB

Topperpiano@aol.com wrote:

> 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.