The Piano - Research Paper Example

Number: The Piano Introduction The piano is an instrument used in music which is played by the means of a keyboard. It was initially referred to as the pianoforte which was invented by an Italian named Bartolomeo Cristofor in Padua, Italy. The two musical terms that is piano and forte mean quiet and loud respectively. In this context they refer to volume variation in sound produced by the instrument in the response to touch of keys by the piano player, pianist. The piano was manufactured by Harpsichord manufacturers who were interested in producing an instrument with a more dynamic response compared to the Harpsichord. This followed the invention of other stringed as well as keyboard instruments leading to the development of the piano as it is today. Between 1790 and 1800, there were major improvements in piano technology and sound due to industrial revolution as suggested by Siepmann, (10). These improvements included the new and high quality steel referred to as the piano wire and also the ability to cast iron frames in a precise manner. There was also the increase of the tonal range of the piano from the initial five octaves to the seven and as it is found in the modern piano. The modern piano has 88 keys with the hammer mechanism which is used to bring out the sound of the strings and then the keys activate the sounding. The strings are held in a cast iron frame which is heavy enough and then they are passed over a kind of bridge to where the strings are tuned. The most crucial element in the sounding of the piano is the soundboard which is made of spruce. Due to the rise of pitch standard in the modern piano there are few pianos which are left in the market today. In playing the piano, the greater the velocity of a pressed key, the greater the force of hitting the strings with the hammer hence a louder note is produced. The Impact of the Piano in Other Countries The piano has played a major part in the music industry in the many countries. For instance it importantly used in the western jazz, television, classical music and film production. These applications are also done in other parts of the world. Many countries have produced great pianists and composers. This is because the keyboard of the piano gives an easy way of handling complex as well as harmonic interplay, hence a good tool for composition of music. The piano has led to the establishment of piano manufacturing companies such as Yamaha which are situated in different countries thus creating employment. For instance the victory enterprise in Japan is the mostly known leading exporter of the used pianos in the world. The music industries in many countries has also grown and developed due to the use of the piano as a composer machine. The piano drama film was produced in New Zealand as it was acted by a pianist. Individuals from different countries have developed their career in music with the inspiration of the piano. The Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), a music institute in China has a piano department which is a nation al centre facilitating the teaching, performance as well as research. Hundreds of pianists have been trained who are now teaching in other music schools, research institutes in china and have even won international prizes music competition. With the efforts of Chinese pianists combined with that of the foreign pianists from Russia the CCOM has been able to establish a system of piano teaching embracing the Chinese as well as the western philosophies. The piano industry in Japan has tremendously grown due to the world wide demand for the instrument. Thus companies such as Yamaha and Kawai from Japan are major piano producing companies in the world. Piano manufacturing companies have also been established in Korea for instance the Alex Steinbach pianos which is produced by Samick Musical Instruments Company. This has led to the increased involvement in music and piano training schools in Korea. With the increased development of the piano, German entered the field of piano manufacturing at the end of the eighteenth century. The country became more interested in piano manufacturing and more factories were established. This contributed to the growth of music industry in German and also the factories created more employment during this era. The increased changes in the construction of the piano led to the industry playing a bigger role in exportation of products thus contributing to the income of the country. The piano industry in Germany has become famous due to the distinct and quality music instruments it offers. The Way People outside USA View the Piano The use of the piano since its invention has been welcomed positively by individuals as it makes a good contribution to music production. Today there are many specialists in playing the piano hence the increased development of the instrument. The use of the piano as a music instrument has spread all over the world and its application has become more significant. Some countries like Japan and china have established piano training schools where students are taught how to play the piano. People have also become more interested in playing the piano as it not complicated and they can even purchase it for their home use. The development of the music industry has also led to many people being encouraged to use the piano. Churches have contributed a lot to people’s interest in the piano as it is played during the service making the music more pleasing to the ear. Many people have realized the significance of this instrument in music and are thus earning from it through training others on how to use it. According to Rosen (130), today the piano can even be played by the children at home due to he increased technology which has led to manufacturing of digital pianos. Musicians have welcomed the use of the piano as it helps them to produce and compose music at the comfort of their homes as a result of its portability. Many countries have also established piano manufacturing companies in order to counter the increasing demand for the instrument. People are also encouraged by the fact that the instrument does not require a lot of maintenance cost. They perceive the instrument as being easy to learn and play compared to other musical instruments. Its use in the church is as a result of the taste it gives to the music making it more appealing to the ear. The Role of the Piano in Different Genres of Music Piano has played a vital role in Jazz music from early in the 1890’s. During this time, the piano was among popular instrument used in entertainment in the United States. Generally, the piano is all about adding rhythm to the song outside the solos but sometimes singing with the song melody. Most Jazz melodies are simple so as the piano plays the melody it also plays bass line or the rhythm. In the earlier Jazz music, the piano was more of an accompaniment to the music and formed a part of the rhythm section. Today the piano has become the leading instrument in jazz music creating the way for the musicians and other instruments. The piano helps in voicing of different sounds in jazz music so as to make the music more classical. The Jazz pianist needs to possess improvisation skills possessed by the musician in order to coordinate the melody and the harmony just like the musician does. The Jazz piano aims at giving the pianist and the musician a sense of freedom of expression which is rear in other music styles. Blues music was initially development by the end of the nineteenth century. The piano was used in providing the bass, the chords and the melody in a more rhythmic way to the music. The chord voicing of the piano helps bring out the smooth sound of blue music. The use of chord version of the piano allows a good chord progression in standard blues music. The piano helps in composition of the blues due to its melodic and harmonic interplay. In orchestra music the piano was mostly used as a complementary instrument especially in small orchestras consisting of string instruments. It acts as an accompaniment to solo string instrumentalists and vocalists according to Hinson (26). In classical orchestra repertoire, the piano plays the role of solo instrument in terms of a piano concerto. Since the twentieth century, most of the music composers have expanded the use of the instrument in orchestra music from the obvious melodic instrument. In this music sometimes the piano strings are prepared so as to produce an unnatural sound of the piano. The piano has been integrated to the orchestra music a similar applicability to other different instruments. This improves the initial use of the piano in orchestra as it served just as a solo capacity or an accompanying instrument. The role of the piano in orchestra music lies within orchestration and the composition. The Role of Piano in the Modern World The piano is a relevant instrument in the society’s culture thus since the twentieth century many families have been able to acquire their own piano. Its role in the music industry has become very versatile in the modern world as it can cover great range of types of music from classical music to jazz and pop music. Its role has been developed due to variety of audience beginning with music connoisseurs, artists to children and students. It can thus be argued that modern society understands the advantage of studying piano and music in general. This is due to the fact that in every social/religious/political gathering, the significant role of music can not be ignored. This can not leave behind the importance of the piano in such music. The music bonds the community as it produces a creative, positive and productive channel for their aggression. The world is experiencing increasing technology in the production of the piano. This has led to the manufacturing of different types of piano. One of this is the player piano also known as the reproducing piano. Player pianos represent an updated paper-roll player piano found in the old movies. They true acoustic pianos in accompaniment of a hammer and strings that are normally played. They can also play on their own by the use of electronic technology. The piano can be played at any time of the day even at night due to the high tech pianos being manufactured today. Digital pianos form another type of piano; they are produced by the top piano manufacturing countries. They are capable of producing other instruments sounds and possess a striking realism. These pianos are software driven and thus open up new ways for those unfamiliar helping hem to make music. It is capable of displaying the music on the screen for learners. The digital piano helps musicians who compose from their home studio to get access internet services at their homes. They can also be connected to computers and other instruments for a better music production. There are variety of digital pianos which offer various and unique functions. These include different combo sounds which give a layering effect to the playing. Conclusion These developments have reduced the demand of the traditional piano except for the acoustic piano which is still in high demand today. This is because to the new innovations and the ability of the piano to stay longer compared to the modern pianos. The acoustic piano is also characterized by tonal stability. The software technology is the most exciting growth in the development of pianos. For instance the software that is capable of converting music files into what is referred to as the sheet music. The ensemble piano which is able to feature CD-R technology has also been made available in the market today. This allows inserting a disc in the piano, recording a song and playing it immediately in the boom box or Personal Computer (PC). Works Cited: Hinson, Maurice. Music for piano and orchestra: an annotated guide. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 1993. Rosen, Charles. Piano notes: the world of the pianist. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. 2002. Siepmann, Jeremy. The Piano: The Complete Illustrated Guide to the World's Most Popular Musical Instr Ument. Wisconsin: Hal Leonard Corporation.1998. Read More