The piano is a musical instrument of the string family. The piano was invented
based on keyboard technology based on pipe organs that have been in
existence since Antiquity. The piano is believed to have been invented in
approximately 1700. The piano has a keyboard (a row of keys) that is struck by
the pianist's fingers and thumbs. The keys cause the hammers to strike the
strings and create sound. The piano is the most commonly played instrument
by musicians in the world, and it is used in a variety of music styles including
classical, pop, jazz, rock, blues, folk, country, and many more.
The earliest piano was called the 'pianoforte' (Italian term) which is derived
from the word 'fortepiano' which is another Italian term for soft (piano), and
loud (forte). This term refers to the ability of the instrument to sound loud or
soft depending on the musician's playing.
In the 1800s the grand piano evolved to become louder. This included
adding cast iron frames (which made them very heavy and difficult to move)
but ideal for the Romantic era of music.
Bartolomeo Cristofori is credited with the invention of the piano. He lived
from 1655 to 1731 and was an employee of the Grand Prince of Tuscany as
his Instrument Keeper. Three of his pianos exist today and date to the
1920s.
There are a variety of piano types today including the grand piano, upright
piano, specialized piano (toy piano - uses metal rods instead of strings), the
electric piano, and the digital piano.