Piano VS. Harpsichord
The Piano, formally known as the Piano Forte, is a versatile instrument with the ability to play seven octaves, and a large range of dynamics (the loudness of the notes being played). The design of the piano has been refined and improved for over 300 years, with the original design of the piano coming from the harpsichord, which was invented 300 years before that in the 1400’s, although the earliest reference dates back to 1397. The harpsichord is a lot like the piano, but with key some differences that make it way less favorable to its new and improved counterpart. The harpsichord lacks the ability to play in different dynamics, while the piano can. The ability to play different dynamics adds a whole new dimension to the music, allowing you to feel and connect with the music on a deeper level. The Piano can also play with different articulation, which is the clarity in the production of successive notes, like making the note short and detached (staccato), making the notes longer/smoother (legato), making the beginning of the notes stronger,(accent) and many more. These advancements give the music more depth, which is what musicians look for when composing (creating) a piece. Another difference between the harpsichord and the piano is the sustain pedal, found underneath the piano at the musician’s feet. The sustain pedal lifts the damper (see image) off the string, allowing the string to continue to vibrate and create sound. The piano also takes less maintenance then the harpsichord, allowing beginners to worry less about maintaining a good sound, and not having to tune the piano.
How the strings work
When one of the keys is played, the hammer connected to the key makes the string vibrate, until the key is lifted, and the damper silences the string. Even though the strings are making the sounds of the piano, it is a percussion instrument because the musician makes the hammers hit the strings. Even though the keys look like they have a lot of unnecessary parts, everything is vital to making the notes sound the way they do. Every part of the keys plays a roll that makes the piano sound amazing. The strings also have varying levels of thickness and number of strings to a note, depending on how high or low the note is.
Related Stories:
https://phys207-project.physics.wisc.edu/michaela-haak/mechanical-waves/
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/piano.html
https://www.frederickcollection.org/works.html
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/parts-of-a-piano
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