In today's era of rapid change, the weather vane of the musical instrument industry has quietly turned. The piano, once the undisputed representative of Western classicism, is undergoing an unprecedented period of adjustment. Its voice has resounded in countless homes, halls and schoolsNow it seems that it is facing a cold reception from the market.
At the same time, other musical instruments, such as electronic keyboards and guzhengs, are riding the east wind of technological innovation and cultural renaissance, and are rapidly heating up among consumers. This dynamic change within the industry is not only the rise and fall of a musical instrument, but also the epitome of the evolution of social values, market demand and educational concepts. From the challenges of piano manufacturers to the inextinguishable light of education, it is necessary to re-examine the deeper meaning behind it all.
When China's piano production peaked at 390,000 in 2019, no one could have predicted that in 2023, just a few years later, that number would be halved to less than 200,000. At that time, the prosperity of the piano manufacturing industry seemed to be eternal, and every corner of the piano industry was full of optimistic melodies. However, the harsh reality of the market unfolds in an almost dramatic way, reminiscent of once-glorious industries that have experienced similar peaks and troughs. Today, the piano industry is standing at a critical crossroads, facing unprecedented challenges and adjustments.
The cause of this adjustment is not singular, but the most significant is the significant contraction of the downstream market, the piano training sector. The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated this process, not only changing the way people live their daily lives, but also profoundly affecting the patterns of education and cultural consumption.
Tens of thousands of piano children and their parents have been forced to slow down or even move to other areas entirely. However, in this embarrassing depression, industry experts have given different voices. At the communication meeting of the China Musical Instrument Association, they believed that the piano industry has not collapsed, but has only entered a cyclical adjustment stage.
There is no shortage of precedents for such cyclical fluctuations in history, and the current situation is nothing more than an early arrival due to macro factors such as the pandemic. They expect annual piano production to stabilize between 200,000 and 250,000 units in the future. Even under such a **, in the face of the upcoming involution period,Only those enterprises and individuals who really have strength and strategy can survive the competition, just like the big waves sweeping the sand, and what will be left in the end will be the purest gold sand.
This reshuffle of the industry will undoubtedly bring a series of chain reactions. From manufacturers to sellers, from training institutions to final consumers, every link will undergo the test of reshuffling. In the face of this change, who can survive the fittest, and who will be eliminated by the ruthless market? And in this process, what new opportunities will be born?
With the changes of the times, the updating of the concept of family education has gradually appeared in various fields, especially in children's education choices. In the past, Chinese families had almost unspoken enthusiasm and persistence for their children to learn piano. This peaked in 2003 when China's piano production exceeded 300,000 for the first time. At that time, learning the piano was not only a symbol of taste and upbringing, but also a stepping stone to a child's future success. However, with the change of times, the educational philosophy of 8090 parents has changed significantly.
Instead of every family planning a path for their children to learn piano, 8090 parents are more inclined to respect their children's personalities and interests. They focus more on the child's emotional needs and personal development than on mere skill acquisition. This change is reflected in the market for piano education. Since 2020, the demand of the piano industry has weakened, the pressure on inventory has risen, and artistic training has been hindered, which is undoubtedly a direct reflection of the change in the social atmosphere. By 2023, piano production is estimated at around 190,000 units, in stark contrast to 2003.
Changes in education policy have also contributed to this phenomenon. The high school entrance examination abolished the extra points for the arts, so that those families who once hoped to strive for more advantages for their children through piano art no longer regard piano as a compulsory subject. Coupled with economic pressures, piano education has become a dispensable option. In today's demanding economic and time cost, many families even inadvertently cut their budgets for learning the piano.
However, the story doesn't end there. While the mandatory experience of a generation has become a memory, they have chosen a very different path when it comes to educating their children. 8090 Parents begin to listen to their children's voices, and their children have the final say on whether to learn the piano or not. Such an educational environment allows children to explore and choose more freely on the road of art. On the other hand, those post-80s and post-90s who were forced to learn the piano are unwilling to repeat the mistakes of the past, and they are unwilling to let their children experience the single template of "piano = success".
At the same time, a new trend is emerging. Those middle-aged and elderly people who have an economic foundation and pursue the quality of life have begun to pursue the unfinished dream of their youth. Some of them, retirees like Lao Yang, even embarked on a new piano learning journey in their twilight years, embodying a positive attitude towards life and a relentless pursuit of self-growth.
Behind these changes are changes in social values and lifestyles, as well as the diversified development of educational concepts. They give people hope for the future and a greater respect for individual choices and diverse life paths. In such an era, children may no longer be forced to practice the piano, but according to their own wishes, to explore various possibilities, and grow into a new generation with independent thinking ability and personality characteristics.
In China's piano market, high-end and low-end products always seem to find their own safe haven, but under the calm sea, the survival status of mid-range pianos is turbulent. According to the data of Zhiyan Consulting, the high-end piano market is still stable, and the low-end market also has a place with the best advantages, but those mid-range pianos with a price of about 50,000 yuan are the biggest victims of this market adjustment. Already at a delicate balance, the market is now vulnerable to the blow.
In this case, some brands have begun to use the strategy of price reduction** in an attempt to leverage the rigid market. But there are two sides to this approach. On the one hand, price reductions may indeed stimulate short-term purchase desires, but on the other hand, this low price strategy may have a negative impact on the long-term image of the brand and make consumers misunderstand the value of the piano. InIn this context, some brands that are already priced higher have found room for price reduction, which has eased the pressure on the market to a certain extent. However, it remains to be seen whether such a move will bring sustained dynamism to the mid-range piano market.
For the second-hand piano market, the situation is not rosy. Originally, second-hand pianos were the first choice for many families because they were relatively close to the people and had a certain use value. However, with the decline in new piano sales, the reduction in household supply, and the impact of a lower exchange rate, the second-hand piano market is also beginning to feel the invasion of winter. Although the decline may attract some consumers in the short term, in the long run, it may further compress the profit margins of the market and affect the healthy development of the entire industry.
Another challenge in the second-hand piano market comes from the uncertainty of product quality. Modding decks, hygiene issues, etc., are all potential minefields that can often be difficult to identify for beginners. Some people in the industry have called for strengthening the supervision of imported old pianos to ensure the authenticity of their certificates of origin and production dates, so as to protect the rights and interests of consumers and maintain market order.
In this context, the challenges of the mid-range new and used piano market represent a turning point in the piano industry. On the one hand, consumer demand for pianos is changing, and more and more families tend to choose more cost-effective products; On the other hand, the industry needs to adjust its strategy to adapt to the new needs of the market and find new growth points. This is a challenge for manufacturers, sellers, and consumers. In the future, whether the piano market can successfully adjust and rejuvenate requires the wisdom and efforts of all parties.
In the painful period of piano adjustment, other musical instruments on the market are swimming against the current, and electronic keyboards and folk musical instruments have become new favorites. In the blink of an eye, the guzheng has changed from a small literary and artistic freshness on the street corner to a representative of high-end artworksThere are even moments when tradition can become a scarce luxury. This change is not just a number game on the first label, but a reflection of the transformation of social values and the deep change of market demand.
The piano downturn is not an isolated case, it reflects the adjustment facing the musical instrument industry as a whole. The numbers don't lie,According to the data of Qichacha, since 2019, the growth rate of the piano industry has slowed down significantly, and the revenue and profits of well-known companies such as Pearl River Piano and Hailun Piano have both declined. However, even in such an environment, the importance of education has not diminished, it is like an inextinguishable beacon, guiding the direction of the industry. With the transformation of demand on the one hand and the adjustment of supply on the other, the future of the piano industry seems to be at a critical crossroads.
Against this backdrop, the rise of musical instruments such as electronic keyboards is unstoppable. Their lightweight and versatile nature is becoming increasingly popular with younger consumers, as evidenced by the production and sales figures of musical instruments. The market share of electronic keyboard instruments has increased from 4:6 in 2019 to about 3:7 in 2023, and behind this data is the transformation of countless consumers' choices and preferences.
The performance of folk musical instruments is also bright, especially the guzheng, whose market changes from the disappearance of the low-price segment market to the best-selling of high-end products, which not only reflects the inheritance of national culture, but also shows the trend of consumption upgrading. This shift is a strong signal for piano manufacturers to re-examine the market and adjust their strategies to meet changing consumer demands.
This adjustment of the musical instrument industry is like the wind in spring, although it is cool, it is also full of vitality. The importance of education has always been emphasized by the industry, and it is even more prominent in such a market environment. Not only is it an embodiment of art, but also an important part of education. Combined with the adjustment of the piano industry and the growth of other musical instruments, we expect that the restructuring within the industry will bring new vitality.