Zhuo Shengxiang, who collaborated with Ding in composing new nanguan songs, says that Ding blamed the decline of nanguan in large part on the slow rhythm. Says Zhuo, "Young people don't care to listen to singers stretch out a single word half way to infinity."
丁馬成覺得南管會衰微，一個重要的原因是「南管的節奏緩慢冗長，年輕一輩很難接受一個字要噫上半天的演唱形式」，曾是丁馬成創作新曲的最佳伙伴卓聖翔指出。