| One of the oldest and most ubiquitous instruments is | | | | struck many times in succession. The dampener made |
| the piano. Classical composers poured their mental | | | | sure the instrument was not quite as lofty and long |
| matter over the instrument and discovered their | | | | lasting as the harpsichord or other instruments. The |
| musical voice through piano accompanists or | | | | innovations the medieval Italian made are what |
| ensembles. Jazz ensembles and piano concertos are | | | | founded the modern understanding of the piano. |
| the most popular venues for the piano, where it is not | | | | Piano innovation has stemmed from the different piano |
| a stationary instrument. Although with such a broad | | | | stores and their corresponding repair technicians. In |
| musical range, the piano can easily be a stand-alone | | | | 1777, John Broadwood along with a Scotsman and a |
| piece. There is also a growing market for refurbished | | | | Dutchman built the first grand piano. Their technology |
| pianos from the ancient classical antiques which | | | | stemmed from the iron casing that could be used to |
| provide evidence to the history of the piano. With | | | | house the string setup. The pianos had five and a fifth |
| thousands of piano stores around the world, with | | | | octaves and were widely known for their robust |
| vendors, collectors, repairmen, and refurbishment | | | | sound. Broadwood sent a piano to both Joseph Haydn |
| areas, getting local maintenance is a breeze. | | | | and Ludwig Van Beethoven. Latter in Broadwoods' |
| The classical piano was invented because of an | | | | production career he expanded the octave set to six |
| insufficiency of the musical options that were available. | | | | and later seven octaves. Viennese makers were |
| Generally, the invention of the modern piano is credited | | | | Broadwood's only major competitor. Instead of |
| to Bartolomeo Cristofori, who was the Keeper of | | | | matching the strong sounds that his piano generated, |
| Instruments under Prince Ferdinand de Medici. The | | | | they opted to make a more sensitive piano and |
| reason for the piano was to have a concert sounding, | | | | compete with him on his version's less proficient areas. |
| sensitive instrument that could fluctuate in loudness | | | | Classical music has never been the same, and the |
| with the appropriate touch of the musician. The piano | | | | piano can be recognized on most of the developed or |
| was a meshing of the strengths without the | | | | developing world as a diverse source of music. From |
| weaknesses of the clavichord and the harpsichord. | | | | jazz to classical, from ambient tones to developed |
| The clavichord had a more sensitive touch, but it was | | | | concertos, the piano has a large appeal with musicians |
| not large enough for large performances. The | | | | and composers alike because of its broad range and |
| harpsichord was sufficiently loud by sensitively | | | | ability to harmonize and accompany almost any other |
| deficient. This modern piano has had much | | | | instrument. Although a stretch from its classical roots, |
| improvement since that day, and the tone of the piano | | | | the most modernized version of the piano is actually a |
| itself has changed with the advancements in | | | | synthesized piano that has digital recordings or |
| technology. | | | | electronic members which can mimic the harmonics |
| Cristofori also solved the dilemma with the hammer of | | | | that a well tuned piano can hit. |
| the piano. In the older harpsichord or clavichord, the | | | | A good piano store will carry both the acoustic and |
| hammer would strike the wire creating the sound, but | | | | digital variations of the piano as well as information on |
| speed and a dampening mechanism were lacking. | | | | lessons, music books, tuning information, and all of the |
| Cristofori added these necessary components which | | | | accompanying details to be sure that your piano will |
| stabilized the hammer making the note able to be | | | | continue to be a hit well into the future. |