The Piano: A Brief History

Piano lessons not only teach kids how to play, but how to work hard. Before starting piano lessons for kids in Brooklyn, it might be interesting for you to know a little more about the history of the piano and why it is a popular instrument today. At Keys to Success NYC, we want to share our passion for the piano and its rich history with you.

A Brief History

In order to truly understand the piano, you must first know the early keyboard instruments from which it developed. The first known string instrument that made music by striking the strings was the dulcimer. This was a popular instrument during the Middle Ages. By the 17th century, the clavichord and harpsichord were well developed as stringed instruments with slightly different mechanisms and qualities. The clavichord and harpsichord were popular for centuries, allowing great development in honing the case, soundboard, bridge, and mechanism of striking the strings.

The invention of the modern piano is credited to Bartolomeo Cristofori around the early 1700s. Cristofori was an expert harpsichord maker who combined the feature of the clavichord and harpsichord to create the pianoforte, or piano for short. It offered dynamic control with the ability to alter the sound and volume of the notes.

The Piano Gets Modernized

In late 1700s and early 1800s, the piano transformed with many improvements to resemble the piano you know today. Musicians craved a more powerful sound. Changes included improved materials during the Industrial Revolution for higher quality strings and frames. The piano's range was also increased from 5 to 7 octaves. The upright piano first appeared in 1826 as a space- and money-saving alternative to the grand piano.

Now you and your kids can appreciate all the work that has helped the piano evolve into the versatile and popular instrument it is today when you start piano lessons in Brooklyn.