Pianos, for long, have been one such musical instrument that adds a sense of elegance to wherever they sit. While most people fall for the grandeur of these large instruments, there’s much more to them when we talk about playing them. For anyone who plans to take up piano lessons and buy one, there are a variety of types. Here’s a list of the kinds of pianos you should know about before you plan on investing in one.
Acoustic piano
The most traditional kind of piano that you would commonly come across is the acoustic piano. These have been there for over a century. The acoustic piano is crafted with hammers sitting on the inside over piano wires in a way that when you press keys, the hammers would strike the cord and make a sound. The inside of the piano has a wooden cabinet with a wooden soundboard that has all the piano wired mounted on them.
Digital piano
A modern-day creation, digital pianos consist of piano tones that are sampled and recorded from an acoustic piano. These are light weighted and smaller in size when compared to the acoustic ones. As you press the keys of the piano, you would hear pre-recorded samples of the sounds from an acoustic piano. For anyone who has lesser space to accommodate a piano, a digital piano is a good option.
Electric piano
Electric pianos are the closest to acoustic pianos when it comes to playing mechanism. They too have hammers striking the piano wires as you press the keys. However, electric pianos produce more of an electronic sound. As you press a key, the sound that the wire produces gets amplified. The sound then travels through speakers.
Electronic piano
Electronic pianos are more like keyboards or synthesizers; resembling the structure of an acoustic piano. Electronic pianos don’t have hammers striking the wires. Instead, these pianos are made in a way that they simulate the sound of an acoustic piano.
MIDI piano
If you’re looking for a piano that could be connected to your computer or any other digital instrument that supports the piano, you should go for a MIDI piano. MIDI means Musical Instrument Digital Interface. When you play a MIDI piano, the signals are sent to the other instrument or another digital interface.
Besides the types of pianos, there is yet another factor you have to consider when you buy a piano. You would find two types of pianos- horizontal and upright. Both have different interior makeup. While the soundboard is vertically positioned in an upright piano, it’s placed horizontally in a horizontal piano. Upright pianos are more popular since they are compact.
Besides the type, you should also look for what material the piano is made of and what the price is. When buying a piano, the price is also a major factor. However, once you know what types of pianos are available, it only becomes easier for you to buy the one that would be appropriate for you.
