Digital vs Acoustic piano-which one?

Ahh...so you think NOTHING beats the smooth harmonics and weighted touch of a "real" (read: acoustic) piano? Think again! Almost everyone (except the true purist) is pleasantly surprised when they play one of the current digital pianos, especially the ones offered by 2 major manufacturers.

Wow! The sound is sampled from a concert grand--the touch is nicely weighted--it never needs tuning--you can even use headphones for privacy! The price, though it varies depending upon "bells and whistles," is quite reasonable, increasing as features increase. And what features! You can sound like a one-person orchestra, complete with many accompaniments and instrumental voices. You can record, compose, download directly from the internet, play the musical score right on your screen, etc., etc.......

But, on the other hand, to some of us, nothing is better than a living, "breathing" piece of furniture, with a musical sound produced the "old-fashioned" way--by a hammer hitting a string, causing it to vibrate, the sound conducted via the bridge to the soundboard, which is a natural amplifier. The end result is a beautiful, melodic, series of notes played by someone who can inject just as much expression and emotion as he or she wishes. This is not to say that one cannot play with emotion on a digital, but , to some, the combination of the wood and the 12,000 parts that make up an acoustic piano leads to a relationship with the owner that transcends the ones he or she has with all other types of instruments.

There is no right or wrong in this "dilemma"--it's a subjective decision for each of us.
Some people end up with both!

PIANOS AND THE CURRENT ECONOMY

I know things are tough for all of us with such an iffy economy, but I predict that pianos will have an even more pronounced place in our homes and hearts now, despite the current state of affairs.
You see, pianos have that comfortable, "warm and fuzzy" effect on those who choose to sit at them.
They provide a therapeutic release of one's frustrations, feelings, thoughts, and emotions, in a unique fashion. They give us the ability to express ourselves in a extra-dimensional mode, in an infinite number of ways.
That is why there will always be a need for those 88 keys, heretofore considered a "luxury" item but which, upon careful reconsideration, becomes an extension of ourselves, a way of "talking" in a different, but oh-so-expressive language.
And those of us who are in tune to this line of thinking will still want to make that commitment to a lifetime of musical enjoyment, in which the entire family can indulge. This promotes a more cohesive family unit, no matter what the status of the financial climate.