How Pianos Are Made

The sophistication and complexity that has always been linked with the piano makes it the most elegant musical instrument of all time.  A piano is the type of musical instrument that uses keys and strings to generate vibration that produces numerous sound notes.  As far as learning to play a musical instrument, piano is perhaps the hardest and the longest to master of all.

Different from other musical instruments, it takes years of practice to learn and master a piano.  In contrast to other contemporary musical instruments like guitars or drums, learning to play the piano smoothly takes patience together with note memorization.

In spite of the complicated methods attached to learning to play the piano, a lot of legendary musicians like Mozzart and Beethoven have made notable musical symphonies and styling with the use of pianos.  Today, pianos are still a standard form of musical instrument alongside guitars, wind-brass, and drums.

Pianos and other key instruments operate in ways that separate them from other musical instruments.  A piano’s bulk and form all play a part to its well-defined sound-generating quality and one is made by way of a lengthy and thorough process.

Assembling pianos is just like that of an assembly line for automobiles.  The piano’s framework, keys, strings, and other workings are manufactured separately and put together.  Up to 12,000 sections make up a single piano.

The Piano’s Frame

Wood such as maple or cherry is the main material to make a piano’s frame.  There are pianos that are made with straight frames and there are a few that are warped like that of grand pianos.  These curved frames are made up of thin, glued layers of maple that are bent while the glue is wet and set to harden. 

The Sound Board

A piano’s sound board is also made from wood and this kind of wood should have some kind of flexible properties.  Spruce is commonly the primary choice for making piano sound boards due to its flexibility and this flexibility enables it to vibrate.  A piano’s strings should be in sync with the sound board in order to create a concise, clear and audible sound.  In between the sound board and strings is a bridge and this bridge is the object why the sound board and the strings produce synchronized tunes.

The Strings

The piano’s strings totals up to 230 and are carefully connected by a well skilled piano stringer.  Attaching piano strings is both long and risky.  The strings themselves are very sharp and can definitely cut the stringer’s hands and fingers. 

The Keys

The most distinct and noticeable element on a piano is its keys.  All 88 of them.  These ebony and ivory keys are what allow piano players to compose music. 

After each and every piano parts have been completely assembled, it will go through an intense and careful tuning process known as voicing.  Voicing a piano requires somebody who has years of tuning know-how as well as good hearing.  To properly tune each piano key, the piano tuner scrapes and sharpens each single hammer that is linked to every individual key. 

After the piano has been tuned and toned, piano players can now play their favorite music and even compose their own symphonies.

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