Innovations in The Piano - Digital Innovations

Digital Innovations

Digital technology makes possible a vastly more sensitive and flexible version of the old player piano; for instance, the modern digital player piano can record as well as play. These pianos are often called 'hybrid pianos', as they have characteristics of both acoustic pianos (the piano sound is made by hammers on strings) and digital pianos (record/playback capability, as well as synthesizer and audio sound capability). Currently, five major manufacturers compete in this market; see links below.

Further afield, the stringless electronic keyboard and digital piano continue to make progress. Especially useful for the musician playing popular music, their portability and range of synthesized sounds has made them exceedingly popular. While some imagine that research may make it possible for them some day to equal the piano in dynamic range, sensitivity of touch and quality of tone, professional classical pianists view this as highly unlikely. The demands of the piano literature—and the technical and tonal expectations of these pianists—are so complex that they feel there is little likelihood that digital keyboards will succeed in the acoustic piano realm.