It has been a staple of classical and contemporary music, used by musicians from Mozart to Elton John and more. Many musicians who have brought their fingers to the ivories have created music that has inspired and captured the hearts of countless people all over the world. That instrument is the piano, and it is one of a family of instruments that generate music through hammering taut strings, like the hammered dulcimer, harpsichord and other such instruments.

The modern piano as it is known first saw use in 1698, where it was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori. Cristofori was employed in the service of Prince Ferdinand de Medicini as the Keeper of the Instruments. The design was based upon the technological developments of previous instruments, such as the clavichord and harpsichord. That the latter was an influence is no surprise, as Cristofori was a master harpsichord maker. Before his invention, pianos had the problem of resetting the hammers once they struck their note. This was the problem that Cristofori solved, and his invention has been used in nearly every design since.

The piano was introduced to the public in 1711 after an Italian writer wrote a positive review, and had included a diagram of the mechanism. After this published note, the piano saw wide distribution around all of Europe. After this distribution, the piano saw little change as it was garnering more and more use. Minor improvements that were introduced include the introduction of pedals, used to dampen all of the strings at once. It is thanks to the piano that the last couple centuries have seen the creation of fine pieces of music, generated by the greats such as Mozart, Beethoven and many more.

Its popularity has extended even into the modern day, as it has become the standard introduction to the musical arts, with parents enrolling their children in piano lessons. Many view the piano as an intellectual instrument, unlike the guitar or drums. But this view of the instrument should not discourage anyone from learning how to play. The piano, and its cousin the keyboard, are accessible to anyone wanting to learn how to play. It has even been the first instrument learned by many famous musicians, from rock star to jazz star to pop star.

Modern iterations of the piano can be split into the grand piano family, where the strings are parallel to the floor, and the upright piano, whose strings lie in perpendicular. The upright is much more compact than the grand piano and has found more home use and use in schools or anywhere else where money and space are at a premium. Both feature eighty eight keys, but the size of the piano can vary, which greatly alters its playing characteristics and the resonance of the sound. From its invention in 1698, the piano has been a part of the western world's culture, bringing music to countless many. The piano is an instrument which has done marvels for the world and brought music to many.

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Originally posted 2009-02-27 05:08:40. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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