piano

Hear this out loudPauseThe English word piano is a shortened form of the Italian pianoforte, derived from clavicembalo col piano e forte ("key harpsichord with soft and loud").

Hear this out loudPauseEtymology 1 Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). So named because it could produce a wide range of varied volumes note-by-note, in contrast to older keyboard instruments, notably the harpsichord.

Hear this out loudPauseCome on, nice and easy, take it slow. Just bear in mind that depending on context, piano piano can also mean 'be quiet', 'be gentle' or even 'calm down' – so someone might alternatively be telling you to keep it down, be more careful, or chill the heck out.

Hear this out loudPauseThe instrument was actually first named "clavicembalo col piano e forte" (literally, a harpsichord that can play soft and loud noises). This was shortened to the now common name, "piano."

Hear this out loudPauseHave you ever wondered, why are pianos so popular? Pianos are so popular for three reasons, they are the perfect first instrument to learn, they are an instrument you can play and sing at the same time, composers/musicians love them because they cover almost the whole spectrum of frequencies, from low to high.

Hear this out loudPausep or piano, meaning "soft or quiet". f or forte, meaning "loud or strong".

Hear this out loudPauseThe pianoforte, more commonly called the piano, became, by the last quarter of the eighteenth century, a leading instrument of Western art music, for both professionals and amateurs.

Hear this out loudPauseThese can take the form of a section in which the piano is heard more prominently than other instruments, or in which the piano may be played entirely unaccompanied. The term piano solo is also often used to mean a musical composition written solely for piano.

Hear this out loudPauseAs such, pianos are the foundation of musical instruments in general and make an excellent starting point for any budding musician. The piano teaches both treble and bass clef while most instruments teach only one or the other. This provides the pianist with a deeper understanding of music.

Hear this out loudPauseThe dynamic symbol for soft is called piano (Pe-AH-no, the same as the musical instrument) and looks like the letter p. The dynamic symbol for very loud is two forte symbols. This is called fortissimo (for-TEE-see-mo). The dynamic symbol for very soft is two piano symbols. This is called pianissimo (pe-ah-NEE-see-mo).

Hear this out loudPauseDynamics means how quietly or loudly a piece of music should be played. Dynamics are an important way of conveying the mood of a piece and your use of dynamics is a marked element of your performance.

Hear this out loudPauseFor instance, regular piano playing sharpens fine motor skills and improves hand-eye coordination in the young and developing. Research has shown that piano lessons for older adults have a significant impact on increased levels of Human Growth Hormone, which slows the adverse effects of aging.