perfect piano
When it comes to musical furniture, it doesn’t get much bigger than the piano, but how might this extraordinary instrument fit into your productions, in a DAW-inspired age? We delve deep, with our definitive guide to all things piano-shaped
If the history of rock is all about the electric guitar, then the history of Western music over the last 350 years, could be defined by the piano. From Beethoven to The Beatles, Chopin to Coldplay, rave culture, drum &bass, and even IDM, the piano has always played a vital role.
If you were to peer inside a piano, you’d immediately notice an abundance of strings. Pianos are equipped with 88 notes (some older instruments only have 85). You’d think that this would translate to 88 strings: but no. Look closer and you’ll see very thick copper strings at the bottom, two medium sized strings-per-note in the middle, and three thin wire-like strings-pernote at the top. Not surprisingly, these need to be continually maintained and tuned. With over 20 tonnes of stress across the iron frame that holds the strings in place, it’s a miracle that some pianos can last for over 100 years, if treated well.
A piano’s strings emit sound when struck by felt-lined hammers, triggered by a complex action which starts with one of the 88 keys being pressed. We say ‘complex’, as the grand piano contains close to 12,000 parts, many as
