It's not an argument, it's a conversation! Call it semantics, but I believe the word piano should be reserved for a piano. I think this is important because a real piano is a requirement for the study of classical music, jazz or any other type of serious music. I spend a lot of time explaining to people why the electric keyboard they bought at Best Buy or Sam's Club is not appropriate for learning to play the piano. Some piano teachers won't tell them this, and many salespeople at the music store won't. I don't want to see the concept of what a piano is diluted, or have it merge into the amorphous mass of keyboard instruments. It's not just that I earn my living by the existence of the piano, it's that the aesthetic of it move me. I want to keep it alive, that others may experience it. So I fight the fight, and hope my colleagues are on my side. David Weiss -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Ilvedson Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 2:02 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Advice about intermittent note on Yamaha grand You can't argue with a stop sign '-] David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Terry Farrell" <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 2/16/2010 4:44:27 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Advice about intermittent note on Yamaha grand >Can't the same be said of the electric guitar? I mean before the >invention of the electric guitar in the 30's, all guitars were >acoustic - so why don't we have only guitars and electric guitars >today? Are you familiar with the Yamaha CP-70 and CP-80? >http://www.cathedralstone.net/Pages/YamahaCP70B.htm > It has a grand piano action, hammers, piano damper system and >strings strung in a cast iron frame - only thing different is no >soundboard. I agree with your second paragraph, but not with the >first. Some things can be a bit cloudy. >You're saying a motorcycle is not a cycle - only a bicycle is. >Nonsense. Things evolve and new creatures are created. Just because a >salesperson tries to cloud the distinction between the two species, >doesn't mean that they are indeed very different animals. >I suspect we had better drop this one before someone scolds us for >arguing minutia! :-) >If you feel the need for one more retort, wind up and fire away!!! >Terry Farrell >On Feb 15, 2010, at 8:02 PM, David Weiss wrote: >> Why? I mean it is acoustic, is it not? Like acoustic guitar and >> electric guitar - Yamaha C1 and Yamaha CP-80. Digital piano? Seems >> pretty digital to me. >> >> Terry Farrell >> >> >> >> By definition a piano is acoustic, and can only be acoustic, therefore >> "acoustic piano" is redundant. Conversely, the term "digital piano" >> is an >> oxymoron. >> >> "Acoustic and digital piano" are terms created by corporate marketing >> departments in their quest to cloud the distinction between pianos and >> electric keyboard instruments. Yamaha publicly stated this as one >> of their >> goals about 20 years ago. It's easier to sell an electric keyboard >> than it >> is a piano, especially if you can make the public believe they are >> musically >> equivalent. Additionally with two categories of options, acoustic and >> digital, spanning a wide price range, fewer people leave the piano >> store >> empty handed. >> >> David Weiss >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] >> On Behalf >> Of Terry Farrell >> Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 8:00 PM >> To: pianotech at ptg.org >> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Advice about intermittent note on Yamaha >> grand >> >> Why? I mean it is acoustic, is it not? Like acoustic guitar and >> electric guitar - Yamaha C1 and Yamaha CP-80. Digital piano? Seems >> pretty digital to me. >> >> Terry Farrell >> >> On Feb 14, 2010, at 10:54 AM, David Weiss wrote: >> >>> I will use the term baby grand when speaking with a client, but >>> otherwise I >>> will refer to grands by model number or length. >>> >>> The term I refuse to use, even if subjected to torture, is "acoustic >>> piano". >>> Conversely the term "digital piano" has never passed my lips. That >>> however, >>> is another subject. >>> >>> David Weiss >>
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