Have you ever wondered why pianos are shaped the way they are?
What’s more, there are two very distinct piano shapes – vertical (upright) and horizontal (grand). How did they both become so popular and widely accepted when they look nothing alike?
If you look back at just the last 100 years or so, very little has changed in piano shape. People used either an upright or grand in their home, depending on how much room they had. In concert halls and music school, grands were preferred because of their tonal quality and ability to project out to an audience.
Even when you head back 300 years, very little has changed in look and feel. Once today’s modern look was achieved, it worked. Though piano manufacturers have tweaked the process nonstop ever since, what you see today with acoustic pianos was very similar to what’s been produced over the past several generations.
Of course, if you continue your journey back, you’ll find changes become more stark.
The harpsichord is considered to be the start of modern day pianos. It was invented around 1700, and was a way to control the sound and make it easier to play. It came with two keyboards stacked on top of one another. No matter how hard you pressed down on a key, the sound produced was the same.
Move back hundreds of years before the harpsichord and you’ll find a clavichord, where keys were installed on more traditional harps and organs, making it easier to play notes and ensuring proper tone.
Before that, string instruments were used to create sounds much like our modern day piano. Monochords used strings and movable bridges to change intonation as a person played. This video shows a monochord in action.
Yet eventually, our modern day pianos were created to provide the best experience and make it easy to bring music into your home. Whether you select an upright or grand, it’s the perfect way to enjoy music everyday.
What’s the best piano choice for your home?
