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5 Things You Need to Know About the Piano

As one of the easiest instruments to learn, the Piano is an exciting musical instrument. Very few instruments have come close to the splendor and looks of the Piano. Have you been excited to learn and know more about the Piano? Did any of these make you surprised? Enjoy reading these 5 interesting things about the piano.

Invention of the Piano

The Piano was first invented in the town of Florence, Italy in the year 1709 by a person named Bartolommeo di Francesco Cristofori. In fact, his first creation was something called the harpsichord which was both soft as well as loud. This word was later shortened to fortepiano and then later to Piano.

The first Pianos were very expensive, that it was found predominantly in the houses and mansions of the rich and aristocratic families. It was only centuries later that the instrument became accessible to the rest of the globe. The instrument has changed considerably since then and there has been no looking back and the Piano has made an enormous contribution to the field of music globally.

The Keys

Every Piano is made up of notes. Modern Pianos have 88 notes. A note basically represents the pitch of the sound that comes from within the instrument. On every Piano, you will find a set of Two Black Notes, followed by three black notes. The white notes on the Piano are also called natural keys. The black notes are called sharp or flat keys. Why Black and White keys? Because originally, the materials used to make the keys were ebony and ivory. However, today due to the non-availability and expensive price of ebony and ivory, most keys of the Piano are made of plastic.

The Middle Pedal

The renowned Pianist Victor Borges once said, You know, some people have asked me why there are three pedals on these grand piano. The existence of the Middle pedals depends on the kind of Piano and it has a purpose. On Grand Pianos, the middle pedal helps to hold the notes being played when the pedal is pressed, thereby leaving any notes or keys played afterwards dry.

Some Pianos like Yamaha, for example, have a unique function for the middle pedal. It behaves like a muted button, quietening the entire instrument after some notes are played. According to legend, Pianos used to have multiple pedals in the 18th Century, which later reduced to just one. There are different effects that each piano pedal has on the overall sound of the instrument.

Piano is the King of the Musical Instruments

Many reasons make the Piano the king of Musical Instruments. First, it is one of the many instruments that can play melodies and accompaniments at the same time, making it an exclusive instrument. Second, the image of the piano has always been associated with the greatest and biggest names in the history of music. Prominent among them are Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Brahms, and Rachmaninov.

These players and others have been able to demonstrate legendary virtuosity and also created remarkable pieces that are used even today. Besides, they are the ones responsible for elevating the Piano to its current status. Instruments have come and gone in the past few centuries, but the piano has stood out as one of the most elegant musical instruments.

A Piano Needs to be Tuned Regularly

Not many people know that a new piano has to be turned around three to four times a year, whether it is played or not. It is generally said that pianos when tuned tend to have much better tunes. Tuning is done by expert technicians who tighten each of the piano strings individually. Tuning helps the Piano to adjust to the environment. The main factors due to which a piano goes out of tune are the weather changes.

Sometimes, the transportation of the Piano also affects its tuning. It is important to avoid neglecting your piano for too long because the damage caused will be irreparable. However, it is important to note that digital pianos do not require tuning.

If you are interested to learn the instrument, you can check our: Online Keyboard Classes

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