Piano Components

Inspired by both the clavichord and the harpsichord, this method of rebounding hammers makes the piano unique, as the clavichord strikes and stays in contact with the strings, and the harpsichord player plucks the strings, he or she does not strike them. The very name "piano" comes from the Italian name for the original instrument. Gravicembalo col piano e forte, which literally translates as "harpsichord with soft and loud" and refers to the piano's ability to create notes of differing volume, depending on how hard the keys are struck.

The Components

A piano has a number of components that allow it to produce such a wide range of notes and tones. 88 keys producing just over seven octaves of notes is considered the standard configuration. Although traditionally made from ebony for black keys and ivory veneer for the white keys, the fact that ivory producing animals are endangered today means that the majority of keys produced are plastic. Other than an aesthetic appeal, ivory and ebony have not effect on the sound of the piano.

Pianos also have pedals used to affect the vibration of the strings. The most common pedal is the damper pedal, also called the loud pedal or sustaining pedal. All piano strings have individual dampers to prevent sustained vibration of the string. When the key for a particular note is pressed, the damper is lifted so the note can sound; when the damper pedal is pressed, all the dampers are lifted at once, allowing all strings to vibrate. This permits notes to connect when played legato in a way that normal fingering would not allow. Also, pressing the damper pedal allows all notes played to vibrate sympathetically with each other, greatly enriching the tone heard.

Whether you are interested in a great, sprawling Grand Piano, or a space-saving Upright, or even looking for an electronic keyboard synthesizer to reproduce piano sounds, the piano remains the symbol of classic music discipline loved the world over.

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