Listen to the piano
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
How the piano makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the piano belongs to the board zithers: strings are stretched across a flat board or box – the family of the piano, harpsichord and hammered dulcimer.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
Range of the piano
The typical range of the piano runs from A0 (27.5 Hz) to C8 (4,186 Hz) – about 7.2 octaves. Harmonics extend its sound far higher.
From Wikipedia
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are pressed, activating an action mechanism where hammers strike strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys—with the exception of the Bosendörfer and Stuart & Sons pianos—and tuned to a chromatic scale in equal temperament. A musician who specializes in piano is called a pianist.
There are two main types of piano: the grand piano and the upright piano. The grand piano offers better sound and more precise key control, making it the preferred choice when space and budget allow. The grand piano is also considered a necessity in venues hosting skilled pianists. The upright piano is more commonly used because of its smaller size and lower cost.
Other board zithers
Questions people ask
Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.
- Why are the harmonics of a piano tone not multiples of the base frequency? · Physics SE
- How can I significantly improve my hand independence on piano? · Music SE
- How do I make piano chords sound interesting when playing along with popular songs? · Music SE
- How high from the ground should the keyboard from a piano be? · Music SE
- How does your brain learn to play the piano two-handed? · Music SE
Frequently asked questions
What does a piano sound like?
Listen to 5 recordings on this page. As one of the board zithers, its sound comes from the way strings are stretched across a flat board or box.
What type of instrument is the piano?
It is classified as board zithers (Hornbostel–Sachs 314.122-4-8).
Sources & credits
- Ludwig van Beethoven - sonata no. 14 in c sharp minor 'moonlight', op. 27 no. 2 - i… by Ludwig van Beethoven – Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Digitació i tempo amb el piano – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- M. Moszkowsky Etude (Op.72 No.5) played by Jixun Han (Jason) for piano teaching by Jason M. C., Han – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Little Trumpet (Piano Music) played by piano student Chen, Cao by Jason M. C., Han – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata Op-27 No-2 (Piano Performance by eldüendesüarez) by Beethoven – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q5994 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Piano – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Steinway & Sons, 10 Rondenbarg, Hamburg D-22525, Germany, eu.steinway.com . Steinway & Sons, 1 Steinway Place, Long… – CC BY-SA 3.0