I love my digital synth workstation, but there's truly more personality and life in an honest-to-goodness Piano. Each one feels so different from the next. You can feel the sound and the mechanics of everything making the sound in your feet and fingers. The upright piano in my mother's living room isn't exactly a showroom piece, but it feels and sounds like home. It plays like nothing else I've played.

I have my Grandmother’s old Howard upright from 1925. She was a church pianist and I have many happy memories of her practicing for church and just playing for fun. The piano isn’t rare or valuable, but it is still priceless to me. I hope to be able to pass it on to my son someday.

In the 1970s, the piano was still a focal point when I was growing up. My mother was a church organist and accompanist for soloists and singing groups. After Sunday dinners, we would sing around the piano all the new numbers from musicals like Man of La Mancha and Camelot. Also, a lot of classical music.

I know my mom decided to get rid of my great-grandma’s piano that we had in our house for two reasons: 1. Tuning costs But mostly 2. As I progressed and began having to practice more, my parents and siblings didn’t always appreciate hearing scales or my repeating of passages over and over again. I’ve had my current digital piano for about 15 years now, and it’s survived the moving process 8+ times. I always appreciate the chance to play a real piano though, and plan on purchasing one once I settle down. But for now, my digital piano is my most prized possession I love that thing 😂😊

Would’ve been interesting to know the piano price averages / ranges back 100+ years ago, along with average household income figures, compared to today.

Robert, if you haven’t done this already, I’d suggest a video on used pianos. There are a huge number of them out there there, and you get to support piano technicians/tuners, your neighbors who need to earn a living just like anyone else.

Thank you for the work you are doing! My personal piano, like yours, is a Baldwin SF 10 from 1961 and I also have a 1916 Bechstein upright. I could never have afforded either of these instruments new. However, thanks to rebuilders/reconditioners like you, at least some of these pianos have found a new life. Just as importantly, given the astronomical costs of new instruments, they are now within the reach of more people.

When you know how to hear a real piano, you will understand even the best digital emulations can never correctly simulate a real piano. There are elements in the sound and experience which are outside the paradigm of mimicry. Digital pianos are wonderfully convenient and have their utility. If you can have a real piano however, it is a powerful and inimitable experience.

Robert, I wish you all the best and may you sell enough pianos to get by!

I hate to see interest wane in any instrument, and while I love the look of the grand piano it is just too difficult a purchase for my family and we bought an electric Yamaha. It certainly isn't the real thing but it is close, and for a student / hobbyist it is a great choice. I can easily move it, humidity isn't an issue, tuning isn't an issue, there were just too many advantages to buying an electric piano vs. even a free upright. Robert you play beautifully. I've watched your videos on virtual sheet music for years.

A very interesting video-- a sad state of affairs, indeed, the decline of piano sales and interest. Your point about a huge drop in sales when the radio arrived shows us this is not a new phenomenon. I love the piano, started playing by ear very early in life as i heard my family play. It takes many years and the desire to do it. Time and effort are well worth it for those who stick with it. Thank you for all you wonderful videos and information 🎹👏

Thanks so much for your efforts to preserve America's piano culture, Robert! I for one am going to buck the trend; I am an adult beginning student that currently uses a digital piano but plans to eventually have a "traditional" piano in my home one day (once I get my skills up and have more room to put the instrument). I am very interested in the phenomenon of piano rolls because in my haphazard collecting of vintage vinyl LPs I have purchased some recordings of legendary performers (Paderewski, Busoni to name two) which were created based on piano rolls. In the case of the Busoni album it is a collection of pieces the maestro recorded for the Duo-Art piano, which seems to be to have been a technological wonder of the time! Supposedly these recordings are very faithful to the performer's playing and style (apparently they used an engineer to capture the dynamics and other subtleties). Listening to these records I wouldn't have been able to tell they were produced from rolls without reading the cover notes! I hear Teresa Careno recorded some rolls; I would love to find an album based on those. Cheers!

This is interesting, I always wondered how piano sales were going these days. I'm guessing a lot has to do with the rise of digital (I have one), and the digital keep getting better. Also a big factor is digital are lightweight, and people move around a lot more then in the past. As you know the real deal weighs a ton!!!

I first realised the penetrating power of a piano when I lived in student's halls of residence. It was a two-storey building. My room was on the _upper_ floor. There was a piano on the _ground_ floor at the other end of the building... but I could hear that piano inside my room. Of course the place wasn't built to a high standard, but it was still impressive! Nowadays I live in a flat... with a digital piano.

Thanks for the info!!!

Love my piano, a Yamaha C3 studio grand, my daily reliable partner, checked off the bucket list twenty years ago. Wish I'd been around a hundred years ago for the daily family singing, and frequent home music production, even up to my parents era they sang at home as a family. The microchip has killed all that. Bring back the Luddites ; )

That was really interesting! That explains why we are down to a tiny fraction of piano manufactures nowadays.

We have a musical instrument store in town in Valencia, Spain which sells new Kawai, Yamaha and even Steinway pianos. They also sell digital keyboards, which the owners refer to collectively as, "toys". They have a beautiful performance hall in the back of the showroom where they showcase local talent. Go to any important venue in Spain, and you're likely to see one of their pianos. They are almost single-handedly keeping acoustic piano alive in this country.

Thank you, Robert 🌹⭐🌹⭐ Great history lesson!!!

Thanks for the information. It is quite useful for me.

Pianos are such high quality items that last for a century that customers from 1909 and their descendants will not visit a piano shop again at least for 100 years.

Took lessons growing up, let my skills fall by the wayside when I studied voice in college. Just bought a used upright 4 months ago, and it's one of the better decisions I've made. Long live the piano!

Im a piano teacher. I have digital piano but i do lessons at my students homes. I tell people not to get a real paino until they are settled and they know what piano they want and they want to continue to play. I don't have a real piano because i would love to have a grand piano. I live in an apartment. Size is an issue and i don't want to deal with tuning and maintaining yet. Im grateful for the advances in the sound of my piano but i know there absolutely no replacement of sound and feel of a real piano. I still like to read out of physical books. I feels better. I don't mind reading articles or doing research on line so there is a place for both situations there too.😊

"STILL Living" Pianos 😊 My 1941 Baldwin L was one of the last pianos they made in the Cincinnati factory before converting over to building war planes. It is a glorious instrument that I did have restored, and it is perfect for me. I am extremely saddened that so many quality pianos are just being given away for scrap. I love the flexibility of digitals too, but there's just no replacement for a quality acoustic piano.

Very informative, thanks!

I grew up with an Everett upright built sometime in the 80’s that was hardly cared for over time. It basically became a part of my Mom’s furniture and was moved to 4 different homes before eventually being hauled off by the first taker. It fell out of tune, had poor regulation, dead keys, broken music stand, and pedal issues. I played many digital pianos for years since, dreaming of owning an acoustic. After my most recent move I purchased a new upright for my own home. It’s well taken care of, and tuned at least twice a year. It’s a Yamaha P22 that sounds absolutely beautiful especially after a fresh tuning. Even the most expensive digital pianos and synths I play can’t compare to the sound of a real piano, even though it’s an upright. My long term goal is to one day have a grand piano, and the right acoustics to appreciate it as I’ve heard some that just floor me with how pretty they sound.

SUPER INTERESTING INFO...WOW THAT MANY SOLD ....THANK YOU ROBERTOBFOR THE JOY YOU GIVE US !!!!!

Robert...great video. In 1990 I became the fortunate owner of a completely restored Mehlin Grand from the 1920s with a PianoDisc system. How we all enjoyed it! What a wonderful sound. Once I have the space for another I assure you I shall be "on the hunt"!! "

Very interesting; thank you.

I'm guessing the improvements in digitals have been the biggest influence in the decline of acoustic sales. An acoustic is an investment and needs to be cared for. A digital can just sit in the corner and collect dust and be wiped down and played at a moment's notice. Like many others, I bought used. I have a rebuilt 1918 Mason & Hamlin AA that was "affordable". New, that model retails for almost what I paid for my house.

Great info Robert! I would love to find a Seiler someday that just needed a home...

I grew up in a modest home, and never had the opportunity to take piano lessons. We certainly didn’t have room for a piano in a 1000 square-foot home with six people. my mother bought me a tiny Magnus keyboard with less than two octaves, and from that I learned basic chords. I bought a piano for $400 in the early 1980s from someone who couldn’t keep up the payments. I taught myself to play that piano. 20 years later I was tapped to fill in as a keyboardist/pianist for a church and have been a church pianist keyboardist for nearly 30 years. we have moved around since then, but I can always find a “job“. I can play contemporary music or traditional hymns, and that’s becoming a rare skill. oh that’s sad. I still have my original piano but the one I use at church is a grand piano. I have a secondhand Roland weighted full keyboard that I rarely use, because I much prefer the feel of a real piano. I can express myself much better on an acoustic piano. It’s wonderful therapy.

I have a Yamaha Clavinova CLP735, which doubles as my audio interface and MIDI keyboard - it's a fully capable USB audio interface when hooked up to my PC running FL Studio. Used to have a Petrof Model 125 upright but it produced much too big of a sound for use in an apartment building, even with the centre pedal activated.

I very much like Yamaha C7 that I practice on. Unfortunately, it is not my piano and I may never be able to have grand piano at home. Thank you for your videos, Michael

The player piano is immortalized in the Laurel & Hardy 1930s short "The Music Box".

Great video!

My acoustic upright was manufactured in 1840, it has been with the same family since 1880. It is still playable although tuned a semitone lower.These days I mainly play my electric piano 🎹

Still ❤️. Loving music.. Thank you!

This is shocking but not surprising. In North West London during the 1970's & 80's in my local town there were quite a few music shops selling piano's guitars, drums etc and were there for many years until in the early 1990's they all started to disappear and until of late there are none. In fact, even in the centre of London now there are not many places to buy instruments any more. BUT, if you wish to buy software and all the other technical accoutrements to create the synthetic noise you hear today well, you can buy them in many places on line and other shops but to buy a good ole instrument which we have to play with our good ole hands the shops are far and few between. A Sad indictment of the state of global musical affairs.

Thank you for the video. I was very curious about the numbers. I worked in a piano store in the 1980s. Used to be the PLACE TO BE!

Some good points there. What are the numbers in USA for digital pianos?

Thank you for those interesting facts

I did my part. I bought a new Yamaha baby grand in 2022.

I have a digital piano and love all the extra options.

Nothing is quite as “alive” yet versatile as an acoustic piano. Unlike most instruments, one can play it in basically every genre. Music education is another part of the process. Playing music is a way to cope with tough things, but learning music also teaches people how to group and break things down in a strategic process. That’s major preparation for handling situations big and small. Piano is a skill, but a powerful and versatile one at that. The time people spent locked down gave time to get into hobbies including music. Personal time and a popular culture that values learning music must be a way to preserve the fine skill even as popular genres change.

My grandparents bought a player about 1920. They must have used every cent they had to buy it. The player mechanism has been repaired twice, and has a very honky-tonk sound. My sister now has it and many of the piano rolls. I have a few of the old rolls because they are so interesting, like your video today! As far as modern pianos, I have a1970's Yamaha upright that will be hitting the used market. Getting it tuned is not worth the money for this plunker. For the cost of 2 tuneups in one year, I can buy a $500 with great piano sounds and never need tuning.

Now am the proud owner of a Yamaha P22. Got it tuned and it sounds amazing. Hopefully I can learn to tune it myself soon.

In the UK I often see decent pianos offered for free if collected. Digital pianos, and software emulations, seem to have replaced acoustic heavy-weights for most people. Being able to use headphones and volume control is also another advantage for those who want to practice and play at home with people living on top of each other; and space is another problem when considering a 'real' piano.

My "Piano" is one of the digital instruments included in my Synthesizer, and VST Plugins. If you look at it from the standpoint of various types of "digital keyboards," sales might be at an all time high. From that point of view, I probably have about 30 "Pianos."

Don't forget that there are also digital piano's, or in my case more specifically software piano's. I owned a grand piano years ago, and even selected it from the factory in Germany; a lovely instrument, but also got out of tune after a while. I got away with it for several reasons and now have a software piano: keyboard, speakers, laptop with Pianoteq software (and a stand) for a fraction of the price of a great acoustical instrument; never gets out of tune, plays like a grand, and has a wealth of instruments to choose from from a Steinway grand to a 1796 Broadwood. Every tone and interaction is calculated through physics, incredibly realistic, nothing recorded.

Very great video. I live in Astoria Queens NY - home of Steinway which is a few minutes away. Recently, Steinway agreed to sell or share land with "Wild Flower" a new Film Television Studio being promoted by Robert De Niro. I think a discussion of tuning would be great. With all the respect and friendship I had with tuners over the years... I'd still like to learn myself.....do you think a beginner could tune a real piano with a good tuning hammer and a cell phone app to see the pitch frequencies? those two tools?

My mother was a professional concert pianist (solo performances in Orchestra Hall in Chicago and such) so we certainly always had a piano. I think any home with kids should have a piano. But a decent electronic keyboard is probably also fine. Yes, pianos were once a big deal. One of my mother's best friends was Catherine Bielefeldt who became the first woman manager of Steinway Hall in New York and also wrote the book "The Wonders of the Piano: The Anatomy of the Instrument." Her book points out that in 1911 there were 301 piano manufacturers in the U.S., 334 in Germany (although the U.S. produced more pianos), 136 in England, 79 in Austria, 37 in France, and Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and Japan had 127 together. (You see higher numbers of "brands" in searching online but one manufacturer could make many "brands" These are also known as "stencil pianos.")

We had a player piano when I was a kid. It was what I learned to play on.

Hi Robert, any idea how many digital pianos were sold this year? Thanks for the great content 😊

It would be interesting, as data may be available, to see what used and rebuilt piano sales are, as well as digital used and new, and what quality points the few new piano sales are at.

I finally ended up with Yamaha Disklavier The 1st was an old 1991 Yamaha C3 - ‘Wagon Grand’ Disklavier …. Then later found a good deal on a Yamaha DGC1 - (a Disklavier GC1 Baby Grand (5’3 ft.) . To be able to actually record physical performances (stored in MIDI file ) is such a dream . To watch an acoustic piano play back so accurately exactly what was just performed on it if such an amazing feature & aspect of a Yamaha Disklavier , then of cost the nice sound of a Yamaha grand piano …. Etc …

Its interesting you mention 1978 as a peak year. In 1977, our family piano was sold. I was the only one who played and everyone else wanted a colour tv instead. Gives a hint as to reasons for the decline

Just finished respectfully rehabbing a 1902 Schaff Bros. 57" upright grand piano. Chicago made with an original NY Wessell, Nickel & Gross action. Strong bass. Original iron strings. Edwardian, mahogany case. Ivory keys. Big, wonderful rich tone. Blues is home here, oh yeah. Save a great antique piano if you can. Love the big uprights. Fats Waller played them.

I grew up playing a Baldwin spinet piano. And I love its pure sound. So I bought a used one recently. And I am enjoying immensely. I will be looking to upgrade at some point to one in better condition.

A well maintained piano will last for decades. I mean, the one my wife learned to play on in the 60s is in my house right now.

While I appreciate that your figures are accurate, it is highly depressing for those who love the instrument and the music. While I enjoy what synthesizers and other electronic keyboards do, nothing replaces the tactile sound of wood, metal, and felt to those who really know the beauty of music. A Fazioli or Bosendorfer or Hamburg Steinway...heck, even a good Japanese Yamaha can never be duplicated by a soulless electronic instrument. Keep up the fight. I am not the only one who feels this way.

Your subscribers love you Robert! I wish that I could buy one of your wonderful pianos. Unfortunately, my current house was damaged by two hurricanes, I have water leaks, termites and it is very hot and humid where I live. Because of the hurricane damage, the house is not air-tight and it would cost a fortune to run the A/C all of the time to keep the right humidity in the house for the piano. It would not be right to put one of your fine pianos in this environment. Thank you again for all of your educational videos and the fine work that you do.

Fascinating. I live in a terraced house in Wallasey, England and bought a new Kawai digital piano earlier this year so that I can play without disturbing my neighbours, but I would have much preferred to buy an acoustic piano. I wonder how much this issue affects overall "real" piano sales?

During lockdown, piano sales were up in Oregon

What is the name of that bendy light over the keyboard?

I love pianos, but became a classical/opera singer. In my 20s I purchased a Bechstein in Heldelberg, Germany where I was stationed as a member of the 7th Army Soldiers' Chorus. Long story, that led to a "surprise" career as a singer. The Bechstein was shipped to my home state of Iowa. After being in my family home, I had it hauled to the 3rd floor of an apartment. When I moved to NYC to pursue singing, my family helped me move down an outside staircase and almost lost it a couple times. We took it to my brother's home in Davenport and it has remained there for many years until he recently sold their house, so they gave it to another family member. Having worked with fine pianists and played enough myself, I realize tht it isn't great instrument, so i now see that the action is not great and judge it rather harshly, though I still value its history. My brother's jazz pro pianist thinks it's great . . . totally different technical demands! I could go on an on about pianos, and now have an upright Koehler & Chase which I purchased in San Francisco where I live. I refinished to remove that dark old varnish and it now has a reddish hue. As a singer, I don't require a high end piano, though I wish I could afford one. Amazingly, it mostly stays in tune, especially since I rarely have it tuned. Moving it here in SF is another tale, including a crane, but that's for another day. Thanks for supporting these fine old pianos. One of my favorite songs, though I wish I'd have the resources to improve the voice piano balance: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rJpmoLuWs6--h2Q.htmlsi=1CSOkSYKqnJUBqGK

I would argue that perhaps piano sales aren't actually down by 94%, but instead that the market has transitioned toward electronic replacements such as MIDI-controllers, synthesizers or other electronic instruments with a piano-based design ethos. Certainly the sale of traditional, fully analog, stringed pianos are down, but that's not quite the same thing as saying the sale of pianos as a whole is down.

I inherited my mothers 1934 Neumeyer baby grand piano. I am the third owner. It was recently tuned and cleaned. Its far from perfect but it is in great condition and i love the sound and feel of it. The world needs more piano players!

Thanks for the video - another thing that hasn’t been selling “in great numbers”, the past few decades, is the home cine film projector - in fact - to be upbeat (no pun intended) about it - unless the projector is stored away in the basement or an attic - I reckon, walking into a stranger’s home , there’s a 10 to 1 chance (when we leave out all the homes that have neither) it’s a piano over a projector that’s there ! Similar exercise can be carried out as regards piano versus a typewriter !!!!

Same thing happened here in South Africa, we also have our own stencils here like Otto Bach and Bernhard Steiner, now almost no one buys new acoustic anymore except for a few Yamahas and Kawais and a handful of top tier European pianos as our economy is going down drastically. And as far as second hand pianos go, I just saw an Erard upright going for about $400 and a 40 year old Zimmermann upright being sold as ''free''. Steinway Model M grand piano being sold for $1500...

Well at least you have this channel.

So, its price will go down? I want to buy one for our but im in the PH haha

Good for you!

Dear Living, You're living your love, a lilting lead-up to a commercial. Very slick and savvy. Many people today are buying e-pianos and synths, and some are interested in programming and providing beats for the music business. One must blueprint the musical journey from the outset since *bread* is the main objective. Learn the music business *first* before venturing. Music can be a dutty business with them *teef and swine* clawing at your dignified soul.

I have a Roland FP 10, 2 Yamaha keyboards, a Panasonic keyboard and an FM mod. Been studying with Piano Marvel for 2 yrs now. Played trumpet professionally for 10 yrs.

I have been watching the local used piano trade and for sale classifieds (KSL in Salt Lake City). i have been correlating the numbers for sale with the economy and found that since 2022 at a bottom low of 450 due to demand, it has now nearly doubled to 880. we are heading into a depression, first a deflation demand but a push for need to increase prices- a difficult situation. normally over the years the piano classifieds would hover about 550 to 600 available. supply is definitely now outpacing demand. And yes, this includes the digital crap available. now everyone knows how i feel about acoustic pianos. it’s just no sound comparison. i feast on the sound of my blooming 6’ 7” Kimball Viennese Classic Grand Piano. you can’t replace the ambiance and resonance, the echo and lingering of the tone carrying throughout my living room.

You mention digital pianos at the end, but I'm not sure if they were included in the piano sales figures you were quoting. I just got a Yamaha CSP295PE would that have been counted in your sale figures? and what about midi keyboards?

I’m still playing my Kawai my parents bought me in the 80s. It gets tuned once a year and aside from that, it’s never needed any other maintenance. Why abandon her for another piano when her superior replacement would cost me probably $100k or so?! When I die, this Kawai will still be a great piano for someone else.

Look at the average wage in America vs the cost of living over time. On average it's like 41% of your monthly paycheck goes to housing

Any insight on post-Covid pandemic piano sales? I know there was a spike during the pandemic but with the current economy, has it declined again?

Our mechanical music machines museum in Pennsylvania has over 100 pianos. Most are player pianos and more elaborate machines with pipes, glockenspiel, drums and such. Also dozens of band organs

Do you know I had a square grand piano from 1865 during the Civil War and I actually ended up donating it to Altier shoes and they used it in their display window. It did display quite a few shoes ! 😊So it wasn't completely wasted

When I arrived in Hawaii 15 years ago, there were 4 piano dealers in Hawaii. Now there’s one. The decline has been that fast. I have a 1908 Steinway. I hadn’t been played in over 90 years when I got it in 2005 or so. The hammers were untouched, the keyboard flawless. My precious now.

I have a Yamaha U3 that I purchased brand new. It has a wonderful sound and the practice pedal is pretty useful for when the kids are asleep. Someday hopefully I'll own a Steinway grand

What are the sales on digital pianos? Since Digitals tend to be more affordable, one can attach a headphone to them (so you can practice anywhere quietly) - and the models are becoming more realistic in sound every year.

I am one of four grown children in a family 9n which 50% of us own and play a piano.

I think people just don't have the space anymore. I had one - well, my parents got it for me when I was a child - an old Baldwin Arcosonic that someone had painted light blue, with gold accents. It was beautiful. It was already old when my parents saw it in the window of a furniture showroom and fell in love with it. But my mom, who had it in her home for years, is now moving to a senior community and I have no room in my apartment for it. While I was never GOOD at playing it, I had fun trying, and I loved that thing. But neither of us have the space anymore. She's giving it to the children of her realtor who is going to sell her house. I'm glad that it's going to a home where it will be used and appreciated. I hope the kids will have space for it when they grow up. Digitals may be nice (and more importantly, for this day and age, probably easier to store and move around) but there's nothing like a real acoustic piano.

We have an upright grand from the 40's. It still works great, but it costs more to move it than it is worth. We also have a Yamaha Clavinova and I think that's where the problem lies. 2 people can easily move it, it is digitally sampled so it sounds like a grand (or a harpsicord or other voices), can do midi, etc. And it's an old one, I imagine the new ones are even better.

very interesting.

I have two beautiful Steinway M's that I have restored and regulated and tuned to perfection. I have bought the price down to 9900 for each one, losing money even after writing off the hundreds of hours of work I put into them, had them on Criag's list for several months and have not received a serious offer yet. It leaves me scratching my head for sure. this is in the Sacramento area of CA.

I am glad you mention the grain of salt; sometimes old pianos are restored or almost rebuild. One UK shop, Roberts Pianos (also on KZfaq) has show restoration of many grands which were very, very old. I would love to play on an old restored instrument. You mention "Digital Pianos" which we purists of course are very critical towards, but I have experienced situations where I would prefer a digital piano, not necessarily expensive, like Yamaha P45, which even offers some sounds which a modern musician would like to experiment with.

The market is also pretty well saturated. They aren't something you just replace every 5 years. On the contrary! Even a decently nice piano will last many many decades!

My grandmother bought a gorgeous Ivers & Pond in 1950, IMHO the most beautiful upright piano ever made. Its panels have carved branches, leaves, and flowers. I grew up learning on it in the 1960s, and eventually inherited it. The piano needs restoration, but I tune it and play it "as is." Its imperfect, yet beautiful tone cannot be matched by any digital instrument.

I know that in my area, people are giving away pianos left and right. Many of them seem to be in pretty good condition.

I have a nice little upright Baldwin. I can't even give it away as it was played by my Mother and Sister.

I love the real thing but its hard to justify for most people. Cost of living is reducing the overall size of space people can afford, and maintenance costs are totally impractical for many. Tuning in my area is a minimum $225.

My family had 3 acoustic pianos when I was in high school sone 45 years ago. A very large 1890s upright, a 1940s spinet and a 1970s baby grand. We gave them all away. I now have a Roland and Yamaha digital pianos that I use in my band. I have no desire to ever own an acoustic piano again. Portability and never a need to re-tune makes all the difference.

The piano I have now was given to me. It's a 1974 5'6" Kawai

You briefly mentioned digital pianos, but if you include these your numbers would increase by 100x or more. There must be at least 100 different manufactures of Dpianos today. If each manufacturer sells 10,000 pianos that is another one million pianos in American homes today. If you include all keyboards with piano sounds in them, I would project 3 million homes with piano access. And that is each year, another 3 million next year. How many of the sales are limited to America I don't know. I am a solo pianist performing my compositions on whatever acoustic stage piano is there. But at home in my tiny apartment, I only use a digital piano with headphones, for the love of my neighbors and so I am not evicted. I have been using digital pianos at home for over 35 years now, this is the first year in all these years they have finally made a digital piano I would call an instrument. I am also a recording engineer and audiophile; I am extremely critical of the sound of a piano. Today I am playing a digital piano that I love playing, they finally made it, a digital that satisfies my professional needs for quite practice at home from 4:00am to 8:00am.

There is a lot of competition for piano sales. Some of the competitors include organs, keyboard synthesizers, brass, strings, and woodwinds.