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The Piano[edit]
Also called pianoforte, The Piano is a keyboard musical instrument made of wire strings that sound from stroking by felt-covered hammers connected to and operated from a keyboard. It is composed of an 88 keys keyboard; 52 white and 38 black. Apart from being a solo instrument, the piano can be used for a range of music most commonly orchestra.
History[edit]
The founding of the piano can be dated back to the 17th century during the early technological innovations in Europe. It was first introduced as a pipe organ enabled musical instrument that could use keyboards for producing sounding pitches. The present-day piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian employed as a keeper of instruments for the Grand Prince of Tuscany[1]. However, no one knows the exact date when Cristofori built the piano but its existence is approximated to 1700. Cristofori then named the instrument un cimbalo di cipresso di piano e forte to mean a keyboard of cypress[1]. The instrument has been developed over time to the present day piano.
Modern Piano
The old model underwent a series of revolutions between 1790 and 1860 based on the preference of by many composers for a more powerful instrument. The previous Mozart piano had 5 octaves that were transformed by bringing in piano wires with higher tension and iron frames to replace the strings. Over this period, the 5 octaves were increased to 7 and even more in the 21st century[1]. Today, the piano has a powerful sound, thanks to its massive, strong, cast iron frame. The iron frame rests on a soundboard that helps ease the tension caused by the piano wires.
Types[edit]
The present-day piano has two basic configurations. The know configurations include the grand and upright piano. As much as they vary in style, they have almost similar key features and design.
Grand Piano[edit]
The key characteristic of the grand piano is the horizontal strings that extend away from the keyboard. The grand piano comes in multiple sizes of baby grand, parlor grand, and concert grand of 1.5, 1.7, and 2.2 meters long[2]. Notably, longer pianos perform much better than the shorter ones because of their larger, richer, and lower inharmonicity of its strings. Experts associate this difference with the stiffness of the strings that creates sharper sounds. The grand is known for its low inharmonicity that sustains sound and tone quality. Smaller grands are meant for small spaces while larger ones are preferred for concert halls.
Upright Piano[edit]
Also known as vertical pianos, upright pianos have vertically structured strings and frames. Invented in London, they are preferred in the region for their fewer spaces requirements suited for home use in domestic practice. Other key features are the tall frames and long strings. They are less costly than the grand piano and widely used in local institutions including churches, schools, and music conservatories.
Other specialized models include the toy piano, the mini piano, the prepared piano all manufactured in the 19th century to suit the interests of special groups including children, specialized bands, and performers[3]. There are also electric or electronic or digital pianos that rely on advanced technology to reproduce acoustic sounds. They are closely related to the hybrid instruments produced in 2000 that combine all the previous models and their features.
Construction and Components[edit]
The modern piano is composed of over 12000 known parts with more than five functional features. It features the flat keyboard, hammers, soundboard, bridge, and the strings (piano wires)[4]. The common piano body is made of hardwood that can sustain the vibrating soundboard. Research by Conklin indicates that the hardwood cover or body is exceptional in conserving the vibration energy.
The soundboard is made of solid spruce strong enough to withstand the weight and minimize the tension of the force above. Other pianos considered as cheap often have the soundboards made of plywood. The hammers create sound and therefore need to be soft enough to produce the required harmonics. They however have to be light for easy and swift movement on the press of the keys.
The keyboard is made up of 88 keys with 52 white and 36 black. However, other models like the Imperial Bosendorfer have extra keys that function as a source of increased resonance. Other pianos, also rare, have double keys and consist of two keyboards, one lying above the other. Mostly, the lower keyboard is the usual 88 keys while the upper one has 76 keys[2]. It functions on the press of the upper key that correspondingly moves the lower keys to let the pianist reach two octaves on one press. The pedals are usually three namely soft, sostenuto, and sustain pedals.
Mechanics[edit]
The functionality of the piano starts from the strike of a key then a chain of reactions occurs to produce sound. Once struck, the key forces the jack against the hammer roller which lifts the hammer. When the key is released, the hammer falls on the string that in turn resonates to produce sound. The sound vibrations from the spring hit the soundboard and convert the vibration energy into sound. The soundboard works best in the presence of the bridge that controls its frequencies. The pitch, however, is influenced by three major factors of the strings; length, mass per unit length, and tension[2]. The sound series is represented in terms of velocity, wavelength, and frequency.
Maintenance[edit]
The piano is a delicate and heavy instrument that requires the assistance of professional movers to transport or carry. They need constant tuning to maintain pitch as other parts like the hammers need periodic regulations to avoid excessive force. It is advisable to adjust tensions and align them to intervals. This feature needs the assistance of a piano tuner to assess the interaction between all notes.
Role & Function
Piano roles are more or less the same across all regions. Its widespread use borrows from western classical music, folk, blues, and jazz among others. They are also used in soloing, in small group bands, or for a large group of composers. For film or television casts, it is used to try out melodies and baselines.
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