Many people consider the Piano to be the most famous instrument in the world. “The King of the Musical Instrument” is another name that the Piano has. There are many intriguing facts and history behind the Piano. Let’s take a look at 7 interesting facts about the Piano:
1. Most Expensive Piano In the World
The most expensive Piano in the world is the Crystal Piano, a Heintzman & Co. piano, a manufacturer based in Canada. The Crystal Piano was made for the Olympic Games in 2008, and was played by a global superstar, Lang Lang. The Crystal Piano is entirely crystal and it sold for 3.2 million dollars.
2. The First Electric Piano
Harold Burroughs Rhodes invented the electric piano. This electric Piano was manufactured by Fender and was called the “Fender Rhodes” piano. It used a pianolike keyboard that responded to the player’s touch and hammers hit small metal tines. It amplified the electromagnetic pickups to make a bigger sound.
3. Most Famous Piano Composer
Out of all the incredible composers and musicians to ever live, Ludwig van Beethoven is considered the most famous composer by many. Beethoven is famous for expressing emotion through his music. He inspired the Romantic composers who came after him.
4. Do Pianos Have Ivory Keys?
Many people still think piano keys come from ivory, however using ivory to make Piano keys stopped in the 1940s. To protect endangered species, piano keys can be from plastic, sugar pine, spruce, ebony, and basswood.
5. Sustain Pedals
Most Grand pianos in the US have three pedals. Many pianos in Europe and Asia only have only two pedals (soft and sustain). Many people wonder if they need three pedals on their piano. If you enjoy playing contemporary music, you could use a third (sostenuto) pedal. The good news is that having three pedals is unnecessary. For the majority of piano players, two pedals do not limit their piano playing.
6. The Largest Piano Ever Made
The largest Piano ever made was by Adrian Mann, a 25- year-old piano tuner from New Zealand. It took Adrian 4 years to build it. This Piano weighs 1.4 tons and is 5.7 meters long. It has a wide range of tones and both melody and accompaniment can be played at the same time!
7. Heavy Strings
The average Piano has between 220 and 230 strings made out of steel. On each string, there is around 168 pounds of pressure. The total tension of the average Piano can be 20 tons and can even be as much as 3o tons.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading about these 7 interesting facts about the piano. If you have any questions about where to buy a piano for the best price, we are open! Our hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. We are happy to help you in person again, using all the guidelines we have been provided. We are here for you.
