What if my keyboard becomes obsolete?

In the last little while I’ve posted videos offering my best advice on picking out a keyboard or electric piano. I’ve made videos on features you should look for in a keyboard and also what you can expect at different price points.

Today I’d like to address a concern that comes up when someone is about to spend a lot of money, and that is, how do I avoid choosing an instrument that is quickly going to become obsolete? It’s a valid concern. A keyboard is a big investment and in our day in age when innovation happens pretty quickly and a lot of technology is seen as essentially disposable, it’s natural to worry that you’re about to throw your money away on something that won’t be usable in a few years.

So let’s talk about this. How do we choose a keyboard that has some longevity?

Why things become outdated

To help us understand the issue, let’s talk about the problem itself. Why do things become obsolete? I notice that things become obsolete for two main reasons.

First, something can become obsolete when tastes change. Something goes out of style and suddenly no one wants to use it so you can’t resell it. Then you’re stuck with a purchase you initially felt really excited about but don’t want to use anymore. I notice that this kind of obsolescence is cyclical – for a while it will go out of style but maybe in a few years or decades will come back and everyone wants them. I’m thinking like mom jeans or the original Nintendo – for a while they were out but then they came back in a big way! But when they’re out, you can’t offload them, and you’re kind of stuck either holding something outdated or throwing out your investment. So that’s one kind of obsolescence. 

The other kind of obsolescence (that people are probably more worried about) is the kind that comes with innovation in technology. This is when cords and interfaces change or when the USB on your iPhone gets an update, and suddenly you can’t use your technology anymore because they don’t sell the interfaces anymore. This kind of obsolescence is way scarier for a buyer because, unlike things going out of style which can come back in cycles, obsolescence due to technology innovation is pretty linear. Once we’ve evolved out of our current technology, there’s pretty much no going back and it can get expensive to keep trying to do things the old way. 

So if these are the two main causes of obsolescence, let’s think about how keyboards might be susceptible to becoming obsolete.

How might keyboards be at risk of becoming obsolete?

I believe that electric pianos are a bit less susceptible to becoming obsolete because, from my perspective, pianos still exist in more of a culture of permanence than other forms of technology. Historically, pianos were a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and even beyond once-in-a-lifetime. Pianos were expected to last so long they could be passed down to future generations. I think this culture of purchasing once to last several years is still the expectation when purchasing an electric piano. 

Even on the innovation side of things, where things tend to move very quickly, I’ve watched electric pianos evolve over a few decades and I’ve noticed that true innovations happen pretty slowly. For example, electric pianos still use ¼” jacks to plug into sound systems. They’ve been doing so for decades and I don’t see this changing anytime soon. Even in the areas where they have been innovating more, I see the changes are rolled out very slowly. For example, MIDI cables have changed from the 5 pin connector that was introduced in the 70’s to a USB that was introduced in the 2010’s. But this was a very slow roll out. In fact, keyboard manufacturers kept the 5 pin option in addition to the USB for many years so that musicians with older equipment wouldn’t be left behind. So innovation does lead to change but with pianos this seems to happen more slowly, in part, I think, because of this culture of permanence. 

That said, keyboard manufacturers still have marketing to contend with, and they’re under immense pressure to roll out new and exciting features to stand out from competition. I actually think it's this marketing pressure that hastens obsolescence a little because in order to dazzle consumers they ride trends that are cyclical and eventually have to go out of style. 

For example, right now I’m noticing a trend where keyboards that are being designed to resemble the midcentury modern look. So they look like they’re made out of teak and have sleek triangular design to their legs. They’re absolutely beautiful and of course I’d love to have one, but when I’m thinking about longevity and the cyclical nature of taste, I recognize that this is a temporary component of design that is more likely to go out of fashion relatively soon. So it would give me pause. Now, if you love it, and you think your enjoyment of midcentury design is going to last many years, then by all means, enjoy! But don’t purchase it just to have the latest trend because, well, it is a trend and won’t last forever.

Okay, so how does talking about all this help us? 

The bottom line

I think the most crucial takeaway of this conversation is to remember that because of the slow pace of keyboard innovation, “old” electric pianos are not unplayable. If you’ve taken my advice from previous videos to look for a decent quality keyboard with touch sensitivity from a name brand you trust, you will continue to have playability and even resale value years after you purchase your instrument. Because even as innovation continues, the key features of an electric piano (weighted keys, touch sensitivity) stay the same and will continue to work for a really long time. 

I hope this perspective helps you understand your purchasing options. If you have any questions, drop me a line in the comments. Good luck!