All about the piano

It is very useful for music lovers and novice orchestra members to know everything about the piano, what it is, and what a white and black piano looks like, what wood it is made of. It will be necessary to deal with the mechanical acoustic piano and other types, with their disposal. The main manufacturers, the list of accessories, and the subtleties of the selection of tools deserve attention.

Piano is a word that literally means "little piano" translated from Italian. At its core, this is a keyboard instrument, when you press the buttons of which the strings and a special mechanism associated with them are triggered. It is widely believed that piano and piano are almost complete synonyms. It would be more accurate to point out that the pianoforte is a whole class of devices, which also includes grand pianos. The sound is produced by striking the string with a hammer.

Work can be done in both quiet and loud modes. Traditionally, the main part of the piano is made of wood. Not all wood is suitable for this purpose - you need a resonant material. Spruce is considered the best species. However, a wooden piano can also be made from:

• oak;
• walnut;
• birch wood (although this is already only ersatz).

The best resonant spruce, as is commonly believed, grows on the northern slopes of the forest, where the sun is not so hot. The soil in this place should be of average fertility. Only a hundred-year-old or more mature tree is suitable for making a tool. It is unacceptable to take those trunks that were blown by a strong wind or gnawed by bark beetles... The final decision is made only by production specialists; only a sawn and dried evergreen tree, which is also kept additionally, can fit perfectly.

Any flaws in the material are completely unacceptable. The specificity of piano mechanics is due to its placement in the horizontal plane. An important feature is the use of pull-back ribbons. When the key is pressed, one of its parts raises the hammer mechanism. Further, the spiller and the associated shulter are included in the work.

Before the hammer strikes, the impulse transmission from the key is interrupted. Such a moment is achieved thanks to the shortened spire arm. After colliding with the string, the hammer moves down. Having passed about 1/3 along this path, he is caught by a finger. The button will have to be completely released, otherwise the next hit is impossible, and a new sound cannot be expected.

Strings are made of metal - more specifically, steel. For their manufacture, wire of very good quality is used, which has a small amount of impurities. It is an elastic and homogeneous material. Usually, the total weight of steel strings is 3 kg, and up to 2.5 kg of copper is wound on them in total to ensure that a low sound is obtained. The expressive richness of an instrument's sound largely depends on its resonant soundboard.

Many are aware that a piano has a keyboard predominantly of 88 buttons. This is due to the principles of the harmonic series in C major or A minor. Such keys can be played with whites alone, but the addition of black positions is not accidental - only it has improved the acoustic characteristics. The musicians' capabilities have grown significantly. Sometimes the keyboard may contain:

• 61;
• 73;
• 85 (pre-1970s standard);
• more than 88 positions.

The dimensions of the white keys are 2.3x14.5 cm. For the black ones, this figure is 0.9x8.5 cm. Again, there is nothing accidental here - on the contrary, everything is strictly verified and thought out, taking into account the aesthetics of the instrument and the convenience of playing on it. The smaller the tool, the less large buttons are placed on it. The standard piano length is usually considered to be 1.5 m, and its typical width is 1.5 m.

When people talk about a mechanical or acoustic piano, they are, in fact, referring to the same instrument. Even in the era of the tumultuous onslaught of electronics, it has not lost its significance and popularity. This design is worked out to the smallest detail and guarantees the transmission of even subtle sound nuances. It is recommended to start training with "mechanics". It can be used with confidence both at home and when performing in a concert hall.

Many music connoisseurs know what a classical instrument looks like. However, the piano is represented by other options:

• baby up to 1.5-1.6 m;
• especially compact from 1.2 to 1.5 m;
• average 1.6-1.7 m;
• small concert hall and for large home halls 2 m.

Digital models are much more compact and lighter than traditional products. The designers are always trying to bring their sound closer to the original samples. The choice of colors is much wider. Mechanisms in such models were not abandoned, although sensors appeared. But this is not a synthesizer, and the purpose of the development was precisely to completely replace the classics, and not to add new sounds.

All keys of the electronic mechanical piano are full-bodied. Even the most seasoned performers will not notice any difference when using it. The difference in sound can only be appreciated by aesthetes-perfectionists with an ideal perception of music. In the premium segment, it is almost impossible to distinguish such options.

It is not at all necessary to stop your choice on a white instrument. But the brand of the manufacturer is really important.... While the tastes of individual consumers may differ, it is advisable to focus on the best that experts and connoisseurs advise in their reviews. The premium category is occupied by those instruments that serve 70 years or more. This includes trusted brands such as Steinway & Sons, C. Bechstein.

Steinway products are performed in all the most prestigious theaters and concert halls on the planet. The designers of this company have learned to achieve unrivaled power and richness of the acoustic palette. The solid side walls are protected by a patent, along with other technological nuances. C. Bechstein focuses on soft timbre and light sound; Liszt and Debussy were fans of this manufacturer. At the beginning of the twentieth century, this name itself in our country was as common as it is today - a copier.

Mason end Hamlin also operates in the USA.... The features of her products are advanced mechanisms and an original stabilizer of the deck dome. The products of the Austrian manufacturer Bosendorfer, which specially imports Bavarian spruce for the manufacture of decks, also deserve attention. The piano of this brand always has a deep sound. An important specific feature is also the presence of 97 keys instead of the usual 88.

Quite high quality is characteristic of the products Fazioli and Yamaha. Many musicians have successfully played on Bluthner... The products of this German concern are distinguished by a particularly warm sound. Products from Seiler... The middle level is occupied by such brands as Kawai, Schimmel, Ronisch, August Foerster.

For mainstream audiences and newbies, affordable pianos are best:

• Samick;
• Boston;
• Kawai;
• Yamaha.

There are also relatively good pianos made in Russia. So, the brand "Mikhail Glinka" actively cooperates with Bechstein companies. The main production facilities of the brand are located in St. Petersburg. Advanced foreign technologies are being fully implemented. The staff of the company includes a number of experienced craftsmen with solid experience.

Products are also an alternative to imports. OVIONT LLC. The company strives to develop innovative technologies itself. She patented the keyboard mechanism for the piano. The staff, as in the previous case, is distinguished by impressive qualifications. Goods are shipped both retail and small wholesale; there is no charge for tuning and intonation.

Piano foot stands can play a very important role. Thanks to them, slippage and damage to the floor covering are excluded. It is not necessary to buy coasters or rugs - they can be made by hand. For the piano you also need:

• power adapters;
• omni-directional wired microphones;
• pedals that change the sound of strings;
• tablet stands;
• dust caps;
• headphones (allow you to exercise even at night or any other inconvenient time, without disturbing anyone);
• racks providing smooth height adjustment;
• banquets (including adjustable in height) for the pianists themselves;
• side panels (allowing you to change the appearance of the tool);
• keyboard stands;
• covers.

Of course, choosing a piano by color and other design features is important. But completely different considerations should come to the fore. The first step is to choose between classic acoustic and digital models. The traditional beginner's version, as mentioned, is much better suited. It sounds cleaner, fresher, and the designers of electronic and mechanical instruments are only striving for this ideal.

Digital pianos are much more compact and suitable for small housing. They have a more original design. Additional options will surely appeal to those who aspire to play modern music. Sound can be recorded on electronic media, there are a number of other options.For ordinary home games, a digital device is good, but those who want to give concerts of classical and academic music are better off preferring the traditional version.

The desired value must be determined in the form of a ceiling - the largest amount that can be spent. Within the acceptable price range, it is worth comparing the products of the main manufacturers and their functionality. Ivory matte keyboard is better than plastic coated devices. She will definitely not slip when playing. It is worth paying attention to the polyphony; the increase in the number of sounds expands the possibilities when playing.

The higher the digital piano's speaker output, the better. Case options and their sizes are selected strictly individually. Any tool must be made by a well-known, well-established company. You need to purchase it only at trusted retail outlets or directly from manufacturers.

When buying a used instrument, one must abandon too old samples, which were released 40 years ago or more. It is almost impossible to find among them a copy that would not need expensive repairs. All references to "antique, tuned, such and such a color" and similar characteristics should not be taken seriously. The appearance must be assessed independently, determining the conditions in which the instrument was contained, its serviceability. Timbre is assessed according to the simplest principle - like it or not. No knocks are allowed instead of normal sounds. A strong difference in volume and duration between adjacent keys is also undesirable.

Both the rattling and the sound of the same pitch by different keys are considered a defect.... Similarly, you need to check the entire keyboard; additionally, it is assessed whether she sinks, walks too lightly or too tightly. Ideally, a piano sounds soft and dull at a moderate volume. In classic models, it is useful to look at the interior. Do not allow the soundboard to crack. Damage to felt and cloth areas by moths is undesirable.

Sooner or later, any musical instrument will exhaust its resource. The small piano can be taken out to the container yard if bulky waste is regularly removed from there... In large cities, there are definitely specialized organizations that dispose of such waste.

Referring to them usually implies the provision of the services of movers, since the piano is too heavy and cumbersome. In some cases, the pianos are dismantled, sent to children's institutions and music schools, to cultural centers, or sold to those who want to learn music on their own.