Trivia #9: Pianos

The first piano was built by  Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700. Since then, it has evolved quite a bit to its current form. Here are some facts about the world's most popular instrument.

1. The piano is known as the "The King of Instruments." This position is earned due to its massive size (it is second to only the organ) and dynamic range. It has the greatest tonal range; lower than the double bassoon and higher than the piccolo. This classic instrument can also produce a melody and accompaniment at the same time.
2. Pianists are at risk of an injury if they use "dangerous" methods to practice. Pianists naturally use curved fingers while playing, but some methods promote a more pronounced curve, in which the two end joints of your finger are bent. It goes against anatomy to curl your fingers and lift them at the same time without "co-contracting." However, some people's bodies may adapt to this and not get injured.
3. The average piano has around 230 strings, each with a tensional force capable of supporting 166 pounds. The combined strenght of all strings would then be able to support eighteen tons! Due to the greater mass in concert grands, the strings would have to support approximately 30 tons!
4. In the 1910's, around 350,000 pianos were produced, its value as pricey as $100,000,000! 
5. An experiment was conducted monitoring the brain movements of a musician and non musician as they performed complex finger movements. While both were able to execute it well, the musician had less brain activity, showing that their brains are more efficient.
6. The piano's design has mostly stayed the same over the past 100 years, which makes it one of the most stable technologies in modern times.
7. The grand piano is faster than an upright piano; it has a repetition lever that allows you to repeat the sound when the key is half way up. With uprights, the key must rise all the way up to let the hammer action work. 
8. Over the past century, over 5000 brands of pianos were marketed. 
9. A piano must be tuned at least five times the first year it is bought due to its highly sensitive nature. In the following years, four times is the recommendation.
10. Paul Janko from Austria built a keyboard with six tiers, one above each other. This design makes it easier to play arpeggios and scales than a regular keyboard.

Try to guess this week's false fact and leave a comment below.
Like this page to view last week's false fact

Last week's false fact was that “Chocolate manufacturers currently use 50% of the world’s almonds and 38% of the world’s cashews. “

This entry was posted in Science, Trivia.