China strengthens position in musical instrument industry

SHANGHAI, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's instrument industry has solidified its status in the international market by leveraging both traditional craftsmanship and smart technology.

At the recent Music China 2025 exhibition in east China's Shanghai, exhibitors showcased innovations like a headless electric guitar with built-in chips and audio algorithms for high-definition sampling, and an electronic keyboard with next-generation sound sources and smart interfaces, thereby providing all-in-one solutions for performance and songwriting.

China has long been a global powerhouse in musical instrument manufacturing and exports. Its position has been reinforced through innovation and strategic adaptations -- as highlighted at the exhibition in Shanghai this year.

According to the China Musical Instrument Association (CMIA), the industry's export value grew by 8.5 percent to 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. A key driver of this growth was the smart instrument segment, which emerged as a standout in 2024 -- with revenues of 5.655 billion yuan (around 797.8 million U.S. dollars).

Smart instruments -- defined as devices blending traditional features with digital technologies like AI, include products such as smart electric pianos, electronic keyboards, stringless guitars, air drum sets and smart guitars. They offer functions like automatic accompaniment and real-time error correction -- thus significantly lowering learning barriers and enhancing musical expression.

The integration of AI, IoT and cloud computing is reshaping the entire value chain of instrument R&D, manufacturing and consumption in China. The business model is evolving from mere hardware sales to a comprehensive approach encompassing "hardware, software, content and community."

Some smart instruments retail between 2,000 and 5,000 yuan, with high-end smart pianos reaching the 10,000-yuan tier. This digital trend is poised to influence global market dynamics and music industry ecosystems in the coming years, according to the CMIA.

"In the future, professionals in the instrument industry will likely need to understand not only musical notation but also digital programming," said an industry expert at the exhibition, which spanned 140,000 square meters.

As the world's largest instrument trade platform, Music China 2025, organized by the CMIA in collaboration with international partners, attracted almost 1,700 enterprises from 28 countries and regions.