| s are one of the loveliest forms of musical instrument | | | | than grand pianos. Upright pianos are generally more |
| today, though they vary greatly since their creation in | | | | compact and though they were once inferior to grand |
| the early 1700's by Bartolomeo Cristofori, widely held | | | | pianos, technology has brought them to a level where |
| to be the inventor of the pianoforte, which gradually | | | | the differences aren't important to the average |
| evolved into the piano. Pianos themselves have gone | | | | consumer. |
| through a gradual evolution, and the development of | | | | Upright pianos are generally less expensive than grand |
| the modern piano truly began during the industrial | | | | pianos and are found in a multitude of locations. |
| revolution, with access to technology and material that | | | | Though upright pianos have become nearly as |
| offered pianists a more sustained, powerful piano | | | | sophisticated as grand pianos, the horizontal layout of |
| sound. | | | | a grand piano allows for more sensitive piano action. |
| Today, pianos come in a couple different forms: the | | | | Grand pianos also have a special lever that allows |
| 'upright' piano and the 'grand' piano. The grand piano is | | | | pianists to play repeated notes, trills and staccato with |
| placed horizontally and the strings extend away from | | | | more speed and control than an upright, or vertical, |
| the keyboard. The grad piano is often large and longer | | | | piano. |
| than upright pianos, giving them a better sound and | | | | Versions of pianos can also be found in other |
| greater resonance. | | | | offshoots like digital keyboards, which use digital |
| Grand piano sizes range from about one to three | | | | technology to reproduce the sound of a piano. Though |
| meters long, though they can be smaller; the smaller | | | | progress is being made with regards to quality of |
| grand pianos are known as 'baby' grands, which are | | | | sound, digital keyboards can't currently math the tonal |
| more often used in homes and areas where space | | | | quality of acoustic pianos. Another offshoot is the |
| and price is a consideration. Concert and boudoir grand | | | | prepared piano, whereby the musician places |
| pianos can generally be found in larger spaces like | | | | 'preparations' (objects) between or on the strings, |
| concert halls, lobbies and even larger homes. | | | | dampers or hammers to change the sound. This is a |
| Upright pianos are placed vertically (thus their other | | | | relatively recent development but has been used |
| name, vertical pianos), making them smaller and shorter | | | | musicians across the board. |