-
Jan 1, 1300
The Start of Something New
Sometime during the 14th century in Europe, stringed instruments began to be made with keyboards. The first of the bunch was the dulcimer, a closed box in which wires were plucked with hammers. Then came the 14th century clavichord, which was followed by the spinet, then the virginal, then the clavecin, then the gravicembalo. All shared the basic overall concept of using keys to pluck stretched strings or wires.
http://pianonet.com/all-about-pianos/history-of-the-piano/ -
Jan 1, 1400
The Piano's Older Cousin: The Harpischord
In the 15th century, the final of the bunch was created, the harpsichord. Encased in wood, the harpsichord had two keyboards and two or more sets of strings for many simultaneous choirs, unlike the previous models. It, like the other instruments before it, would always play every key at the same volume of noise, regardless of how hard it was pressed, because it functioned by having the strings plucked by a “plectrum” when the key was pressed.
http://takelessons.com/blog/piano-evolution -
The Basic Piano is Born
Much later, an Italian harpsichord maker known as Cristofori invented the pianoforte, which translated to “soft music” in Italian (later shortened to just piano). This name was due to the fact that the strings within it would be struck by hammers instead of simply plucked or struck by plectrums, allowing for volume control depending on how hard the keys were struck. The music quickly gained popularity, as it was like nothing ever seen before. http://takelessons.com/blog/piano-evolution -
Bigger is Better With the Grand Piano
The first to come after Cristofori's model, which looked pretty similar. Large and wide, the huge piano took two development paths; the English focused on making it heavy and complicated, while the German made it lighter and simple (metal was incorporated later). Strings ran horizontal and perpendicular to the keys. The lid was kept open to boost the sound of the strings (therefore best played on stages for performances).
http://www.bestpianolessons.com/piano-history/grand-piano-history.html -
Small is Also Good with the Square Piano
After a few years, the square piano (which was actually rectangular) was invented by Sébastien Érard of France. The strings still ran horizontally along the keyboard, but the instrument itself was made to be rather small, flat, and simple in shape. Cheap, but with all the good, basic qualities of a piano, it was extremely popular in Europe for the rest of the century. Commonly played in European salons or at small dance gatherings.
http://squarepianos.com/square.html -
Going Upwards
Next came the upright piano, finished in the mid 1800s by John Isaac Hawkins from Philadelphia. The strings ran vertically instead of horizontally, which made for a thin, but very tall piano. Hawkins also moved the strings from the keyboard to the base of the piano. The height of the piano (which was shortened later) allowed for elaborate designs, and its compact space compared to the grand piano made it popular among schools and homes.
https://www.britannica.com/art/upright-piano -
Self-Playing Pianos?!
All of these models are still used today by people wanting to keep it traditional. However, that hasn't stopped the piano from incorporating technology. Player pianos, dating back since the 1890s, are capable of playing without a pianist, thanks to internal electronics. They have advanced since then to store computer memory and more modern technologies, to create the full experience of a live performance, without the performer.
http://www.pianola.org/history/history_playerpianos.cfm -
Fully Electronic
Electronic keyboards, ever since 1946, have provided an interesting new take on the piano. Over the years leading up to the present, contributors have learned combine computer programming, hard drives, and classical notes and octaves of traditional pianos to create a completely new experience. One can now record and compose their own songs, play the piano with completely different sounds, or simply play the old way.
http://takelessons.com/blog/piano-evolution
