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900 BCE
Hammered Dulcimer
The first piano ancestor was born in Iran shortly after the birth of Christ. The dulcimer demonstrates the basic principle of the piano, in which hammers strike a melody on multiple strings on a flat soundboard. The dulcimer player uses his two lightweight sticks with wide blades instead of mechanical hammers to produce sound. The strings vibrate just like on a piano and produce sound. -
1400
Clavichord
A clavichord is a very old keyboard instrument that has a small, rectangular shape and a delicate sound. The strings are struck by tangents, which are small pieces of metal attached to the back of each key. The tangents are lifted when the key is pressed, and the string is then struck. This results in a soft, subtle sound that is ideal for playing quiet, intimate music. The clavichord is smaller, less robust, and much quieter than the piano making it almost useless in a concert setting. -
1521
Harpsichord
The harpsichord is a Baroque-era instrument that reached its peak during the times of Bach and Handel. Harpsichords use a system of strings and a set of plucking mechanisms called jacks to produce sound and have a fixed dynamic range, meaning that the volume of the sound cannot be controlled by the player. This was the first form of the early piano where the strings were in line vertically with the keys helped increase tonal power due to the increased length of the strings. -
Pianoforte
After becoming frustrated with the harpsichord's inability to change its volume, Bartolomeo Cristofori created the closest piano variation ever seen up to this point. His pianoforte used a similar striking hammer mechanism while keeping the shape of the harpsichord. This change allowed the player to adjust the instrument range while playing by striking the key with more force. He also pioneered an overhead damper system and a strengthened framework to support thicker and heavier strings. -
Square Piano
A square piano can be summarized as a clavichord with metal strings, hammer action, and a reinforced frame, very similar to a modern-day grand piano. When Johannes Zumpe, the leading maker of early English square pianos, brought his first square piano to London, other manufacturers also began developing versions of his instrument, which became the standard for "English" models. By 1775, versions of Square for his piano existed in England, Germany, France, and America. -
Upright Piano
John Isaac Hawkins is credited with creating the first true upright piano in 1800. They instantly became a hit as they took up less space being vertically built. The strings inside were also built extending vertically which had never been done before. Many variations of the upright piano were developed over the years including the giraffe piano, the shelf piano, and the pyramid piano which all helped contribute to the construction of the modern-day piano. -
Modifications Leading Up to Modern-Day
Inventor Sebastien Erad created the first agraffe piano, which allowed for more active use of the keyboard and hammers and allowed players to play with more strength and power than before. This gave famous classical composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Liszt the opportunity to create their most famous works. -
Name Changes
The “pianoforte” instruments finally got their name shortened into much more manageable ”piano”. -
Modern-Day Grand Piano
Grand pianos can be characterized by a harp, rigid strings, and hammers parallel to the floor. In 1838, Sebastian Erard created this and perfected the design of the piano action and the invention of the capo (a pushrod near where the strings attach to the frame that adds stiffness to the strings and provides back pressure to the hammer, resulting in improved sound quality). Their bodies were created from a one-cast iron frame which was popularized by the manufacturer Steinway and Sons in 1850. -
First Electric Keyboard
After a century of further acoustic piano modifications and improvements, the first electric keyboard was created in France which was a major breakthrough for the music world. This allowed pianos to become smaller and much more portable than ever, letting composers and players easily transport pianos wherever they needed. This was the first piano variation in centuries that did not use the traditional wooden hammers and strings. -
Modern-Day Electric Keyboards
Electric keyboards started being made in all shapes and sizes and in the 1980s and 1990s, many bands used electric keyboards to create new sounds never heard in songs before, eventually leading to the development of the synthesizer. -
Present Day
Today, pianos are still widely played and enjoyed by millions of people around the world. They come in various forms, such as acoustic pianos, digital pianos, hybrid pianos, silent pianos, smart pianos, and more. They are used for various genres of music, such as classical, jazz, pop, rock, blues, and more. They are constantly being improved by new technologies and designs. They are the most complex mechanical device in any home and are capable of fulfilling the player’s every musical wish.