Played with proper regard for the room, and other performers, an electric piano is OK by me.

I came to this position about 2 years ago, when I found four visitors bringing one in when I arrived for a regular session, at which I am sometimes the "host". Had I been asked ahead of time I (like most acoustic types) would doubtless have discouraged them, the room gets quite crowded, and is mainly a singaround venue. The foursome had two other, non-electronic, instruments. They had travelled, I'm a softy, I decided to give it a try.

The group turned out to be accomplished musicians. Their contribution to the evening reflected their classical background, but they adapted well to a folky session, keeping the electric piano to the sort of level reached by a real one, and they seemed to enjoy themselves.

I concluded that the electronic piano need not be a pariah, any more than a banjo, accordion, or bodhran should. The crucial bit with all of them is that in the wrong hands they can be awful, just as they can be wonderful when in sympathetic hands.

As for real pianos, I feel they would be unlikely to survive a year in most pubs (certainly not in a condition to be played) and that cost, upkeep, and space considerations probably account for their demise.