Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Time reports problems in the US piano industry

If these trends continue, things could get bad.

www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929176-1,00.html

It could go the way of the American buggy-whip industry!

1929? Things did get bad, if I remember correctly.

In my honest opinion, I think that CULTURE is more to blame for the decline of piano sales in America, rather than economic factors. American culture puts so much more emphasis on things OTHER than the arts. We are supposed to be the richest country in the world, yet countries with 1/4 the population, and probably half the G.D.P. of our nation are buying more pianos than we are. Consequently, their children are decimating ours in educational areas. (Specifically MATH scores, among others) The radio replaced the piano in the late 20's. The television eventually replaced the radio. Now we have Ipods, Iphones, internet, PS3's, and every other form of gizmo and gadget imaginable that occupy our time and attention. None require diligent effort and study. Almost all are designed to make life easier, faster, and require less effort. If my son put in as much time actually LEARNING to play guitar as he has put in towards learning to play Guitar Hero, he'd be embarrasing Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani by now. The piano industry will always be here. However, I seriously doubt that it will ever be at the forefront of American culture like it once was, unless we truly see a culture shift.

You could have warned me that was from 1929. I was .

Haha, same. I was wondering why they referred to the early 20th century so much...

Please don't send this news item to Glenn Beck....he'll quote it verbatim as if it appeared yesterday.

pffftttt! BECK ROCKS!

That tells me all I need to know.....

I blame the vacuum tubes... and don't EVEN get me started on the transistor and the integrated circuit!

Oh well, maybe Hoover will take us off the gold standard and print more money... that would work I know it!

Anyone know any good speak easies in the Quad Cities? Capone's is 2.5 hours east, but last time I was there he gave me a knuckle sandwich and yammered "We don't like your kind 'round here, ya see, and if me and the boys catch ya playin the ivories so crappy in here again you'll be pushin up dasies, seeee!"

I think Dan must mean Jeff Beck...

knuckle sandwiches?

It's similar to a 'face full of dandruff'
A 'smack in the kisser' or a 'finger butty'

Glen Beck sucks and Jeff Beck rocks....and you should check out his bass player....she is something else.....
Not many of them in Rome GA i would guess....
Quite a few Glens though....just don't give them any guns.

news!... Ive Heard (pun intended) that the the only thing good that came out of England was USA and the beatless...oops Beatles ..(.whats the symbol for a big spoon)

beware I have a bb gun

Amazing how people who say they are open minded and accepting of other people's views are REALLY the ones who stereotype others, and are snobbish and condescending. Yep, we got guns down here. Pick-up trucks too... We even have a Benz dealership or two... we like Glen Beck AND Jeff Beck, and we respect your right NOT to like them if you so choose... I guess that might be where we are different! Just a thought!! Hope ya have a great day! (OH, by the way, GEORGIA isn't BANKRUPT, lol!)

The problem as I see it is that our country has a constitution and bill of rights worth preserving. Without the 2nd amendment neither has a chance of enduring. If one cannot apprehend when statists are in your midst, liberty is less likely to survive. Just because I can rattle through Chopin and Rachmaninoff, doesn't mean that I don't value freedom and the vigilance required to maintain it. When you have an administration with as many avowed Marxists and socialists as evidenced of late, it is no surprise that some are sounding an alarm. I tend to judge folks by the company they keep. The writing is on the wall. You can take the Neville Chamberlain approach, or be a bit more assertive and hold their feet to the fire. Since by and large the media has abdicated their responsibility to give the government a thorough exam on a regular basis, someone has to pick up the gauntlet. Raised a yankee boy, I got to Texas as fast as I could. I think that since you were raised elsewhere, you really don't have a clue about what makes us tick. Instead of insulting a good portion of listers here, you might do a little due diligence before lambasting certain regions of the country and experience them firsthand before you take the CNN approach that the south is full of nothing but reactionary hayseeds. Unlike the east and west coasts, we are able to be intelligent and well-educated and still follow an argument to its logical conclusion without any particular agenda other than what promotes freedom and what infringes freedom.

Smokin' em out here....

More please!

Hmmm... I'm just wondering if he's ever been to Rome, GA? Well... we have a fine Baptist college here that has a wonderful liberal arts department which has produced many world class vocalists and pianists alike. (Shorter College) Also, we have Berry College, which boasts the largest campus of any college or university in the world. Not to mention, we have Georgia Highlands community college, as well as Coosa Valley Tech. Pirelli tire (ya know... the tire company that makes those rubber things that your import rides on) just saw fit to put their entire North American headquarters here.... I could go on and on, but I digress... So I must say that maybe WE aren't the ignorant ones here.... maybe it's the ones that stereotype us who are ignorant!

Hello Dan...
Having been drawn to you as a character, I thought it prudent to look at your previous posting in these pages...
Guess what...you have quite a rap sheet....
Hadn't paid much attention to you before as I like to keep my eyes out of the gutter, but you appear to be quite an operator who seems to avoid the advice of the seasoned pros who pepper these pages with their insights.
I'm sure you will do well and I wish you all you deserve.

Still think that Jeff Becks bass player is HOT....