Pianos

Everything you ever wanted to know about pianos is here.  My favorite brands, recommendations on buying a new or used piano, maintenance tips, referrals to piano teachers.  You name it, Rod's got it.

What is a Piano?

Technically speaking, a piano is a stringed keyboard musical instrument, derived from the harpsichord and clavicord. Sometimes called a pianoforte, it differs from its predecessors primarily in the introduction of a hammer-and-lever action that allows the player to modify the intensity of sound by the stronger or weaker touch of the fingers.

For this reason the earliest known model (ca. 1709) was called a gravicembalo col pian e forte (Italian for "harpsichord with soft and loud"). It was built by Bartolomeo Cristofori, a harpsichord maker of Florence, Italy, who is generally credited with inventing the piano. Two of his pianos still exist. The case of one, dated 1720, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; the other, dated 1726, is in a museum in Leipzig, Germany

The Almost 200 Year Evolution Of Today’s Piano

Beginning in about 1725, when the noted German organ maker Gottfried Silbermann of Freiberg adopted Cristofori's action, the next major developments took place in Germany.

Perhaps the most important contribution was made by Johann Andreas Stein of Augsburg, who is credited with inventing and improving the escapement that became the foundation of the "Viennese" piano praised by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and favored by most German composers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

About twelve masters from central Germany migrated to London about 1760 and established the English school that, under John Broadwood and others, turned to the production of pianos of a stronger build, resembling those of today.

The French manufacturer Sébastien Erard founded the French school in the 1790s, and in 1823 created the double action that is still in general use. By this time artisans in almost every Western nation were working to perfect the pianoforte. Numerous improvements were and are still being made in both design and construction.

Germany and the United States have long been distinguished for fine pianos, notably those of the German firm founded by Karl Bechstein and the American firms, Steinway and Chickering and certainly the pianos of the Austrian firm Bösendorfer are also highly respected.

The early piano, like that of the harpsichord had only four, or at most, five octaves, However, it has gradually increased to around seven octaves as piano structural changes allowed for increases string tension which amounts to several tons (about 18 for an upright and around 19 for a grand).

• Piano Tuning
  Your piano should be tuned about every six months to keep it sounding its best. If your piano hasn't been tuned in a long time, it may require a "pitch raise". Learn more here...
  
  
• Piano Maintenance
  Pianos need periodic maintenance for peak performance, and Rod can handle whatever is required. Learn more about the routine maintenance tasks that should be performed on your piano, and some things you can do to keep your piano at the top of its game.
  
  
• A Common Mistake When Buying a Used Piano
  Just because it looks like a great deal doesn't necessarily mean that it is. This is an excellent cautionary tale for anyone looking at buying a used piano.
  
  
• Care and Maintenance of Your Piano
  The care and maintenance of a piano is key to its performance. Learn about the steps that you should take to ensure your piano will last the longest amount of time and perform at its best.
  
  
• Tuning Your Piano / Pitch Raise
  If a piano has gone without a tuning for an extended period of time, it may require a special technique called a "pitch raise" in order to restore it to A440 pitch.