A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are pressed, causing hammers to strike strings inside it. It is classified as both a stringed instrument and a percussion instrument because the sound is made by vibrating strings struck by hammers, combining characteristics of both families of instruments.
Instrument Classification
- String Instrument : The piano belongs to the chordophone family because its sound comes from strings stretched between two points.
- Percussion Instrument : It is also considered a percussion instrument because sound production involves hammers striking the strings, similar to percussion action.
How It Works
When a piano key is pressed, a felt-covered wooden hammer hits the strings. The strings vibrate to produce sound, and a soundboard amplifies this sound. Pedals allow sustaining the notes even after keys are released.
Thus, the piano uniquely blends the principles of string and percussion instruments within the framework of a keyboard instrument.
