Pianos are a key and integral part of an orchestra.
They are one of the main instruments that is needed when setting up an orchestra and if you look at an orchestra layout, which I will be discussing about below in this article, you will notice that there is a designated space for pianos and keyboards in an orchestra.
The most common type of piano used in orchestras is the grand piano which is an instrument that stands on 3 legs
It has a row of 88 black and white keys and comes with an extreme wide range of playing possibilities because of it’s seven octaves.
With it’s many possibilities, the piano is simply like an orchestra within an orchestra
What this means is that, using the piano or the grand piano in this case you can easily simulate the sounds of different instruments
And when you look at this critically, you discover that it has the makings of a full blown orchestra
The keyboard instruments that have been used with orchestra are the harpsichord, organ and piano.
Each instrument is vastly different from the other, but they are all related as keyboard mediums.
Within the orchestra they take on different roles than their solo function, some cases have them interchangeable with one another for the same purpose.
It is a tuned instrument and you can play many notes at once using just one hand
One of the major roles of the piano in the orchestra is that it supports harmony.
If you have watched classical shows such as the ones put out by Yanni, then you definitely would have seen some really great pianists supporting the harmony of the overall presentation
In my opinion, if there is no piano then the presentation lacks that awesome harmony that makes classical music nice to listen to.
It also has another role which is as a solo instrument (an instrument that plays by itself) and plays both melody and harmony.
While keyboards are often thought of as solo instruments, they can and do play supportive roles within a large ensemble.
In fact, most composers discussed here treated the instruments as another member of the symphony rather than as a featured instrument.
The piano tends to be an instrument used more as a feature than support, though this may be more due to the nature of the instrument itself rather than the composer’s desired use.
The harpsichord was only used as a continuo instrument, though its sound could easily penetrate the early developing orchestra.
The wind power of the organ allows it to hold its own within an orchestra and be heard in a supportive role.
With the modern size and range of the orchestra, the piano struggles to be heard with full ensemble, begging it to be used in sparser textures or solo.
If the composers did not have to worry about projection of sound within the group itself, maybe the keyboard instruments would serve a different purpose.
If that were to be the case that would likely change the style of writing for all orchestral instruments.
Now for this question, we are going to be grouping the piano as a percussion instrument.
Now I know there is a major debate on whether this is true or not but bear with me here and just go with the flow.
So as to what section the piano is in an orchestra, I will say it is in the percussion instruments section.
The percussion section usually has the highest members in an orchestra.
Percussion instruments basically are any instrument that makes a sound when it is hit, struck or pressed down.
And this is where you have the most dedicated set of musicians because learning to play a percussion instrument is really difficult and not many people go through with it.
Some percussion instruments are tuned and can sound different notes, like the xylophone, timpani or piano, and some are untuned with no definite pitch, like the bass drum, cymbals or castanets.
Percussion instruments keep the rhythm, make special sounds and add excitement and color. Unlike most of the other players in the orchestra, a percussionist will usually play many different instruments in one piece of music.
The most common percussion instruments in the orchestra include the timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, snare drum, bass drum, tambourine, maracas, gongs, chimes, celesta, and piano.
How many Pianos are there in an Orchestra?
While trying to come up with a specific answer for this question, here is what I found out – it really depends on the composer and the kind of sound they want to achieve.
Generally a modern full scale symphony consists of approximately one hundred permanent musicians, most often distributed as follows: 16–18 1st violins, 16 2nd violins, 12 violas, 12 cellos, 8 double basses, 4 flutes (one with piccolo as a specialty), 4 oboes (one with English horn as a specialty), 4 clarinets (one with bass clarinet as a specialty, another specializing in high clarinets), 4 bassoons (one with double bassoon as a specialty).
Furthermore 5–8 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones (one with bass trombone as a specialty), 1 tuba, 1 kettledrum player, 3–4 percussionists (of whom at least one must also play kettledrum), 1–2 harps and a keyboard player (piano, celesta, harpsichord, etc.).
What this means is that a percussionist (in this case a pianist) is needed in just one place – meaning only one piano is needed.
But I have seen cases where there were as much as 4 to 5 pianos in the orchestra and the harmony was simply beautiful
So like I said earlier, it totally depends on the composer and what they want to achieve.
As a composer, you can go for as many pianos as you want as long as you get the right kind of music that you desire.
What Instruments are not used in an Orchestra?
While we have seen that the piano is a key instrument in an orchestra, there are other instruments that are not used as much.
Here they are
Harp – This is one instrument that is rarely used in an orchestra. This is because it is considered as being awkward and a bit difficult to master.
Glass Armonica
Saxophone – The saxophone is quite popular and widely used in several music genres; particularly jazz. However, very rarely will you hear it or see it used for a classical composition. It wasn’t until recently that some composers began to add the sax in some of their works.
Wagner Tuba –Not to be confused by the Tuba, the Wagner Tuba is a totally different instrument. The instrument was created at the behest of the famous German composer Richard Wagner. The Wagner tuba combines both the trombone and French horn tonal elements. Although called a tuba, it is considered sort of a horn by many. Even though you may not hear it or see it used too often, it is still used as an alternate doubling instrument.
Alto Flute – From the woodwind family, the alto flute is a type of Western concert flute. It gives out a mellow, distinct and deeper tone like the Piccolo. One way to think of the alto flute is that it’s much longer than the traditional flute. Throughout history, there have been many famous composers who used the alto flute in some of their works.
The Organ – while this is one of the oldest wind instruments known today, it is rarely being used in orchestras these days. This is because the modern day pipe organs and it’s likes are much more sophisticated and have a wide range of uses. Still when it is used, the organ provides really impressive and beautiful music.
Conclusion
Pianos are used in an orchestra because they provide harmony to the presentation.
They can also be used as a solo instrument to play the melody or harmony.
The other day I watched a TV series where the lead actor was a pianist and a very good one at that.
While watching the show, I could not help but notice the way the guy spoke and acted in his conversation.
His speech was articulate.
His mannerisms were just on point
And even the way he conducted himself and offered up solutions to problems was really good
So this got me thinking, Can playing the piano make you smarter?
As humans, there is nothing we want more than benefits
What’s in it for me as a person?
There is nothing worse than feeling like you are spending countless hours practicing and playing the piano and not seeing any advantages.
There is growing scientific evidence that playing the piano can actually make you smarter, happier and healtheir.
So in this article, I will be showing you some of the benefits of learning and playing the piano.
Ready?
Can Playing The Piano Make You Smarter?
1. It accelerates your attention and cognitive skills
Learning how to play the piano means that your brain is on overdrive.
While this might sound like such a bad thing, it really is not
Think about it like this – can you imagine all the tasks your brain needs to perform simultaneously while playing the piano
Think of things like keeping on time, staying on pitch, forming new chords, maintaining your posture and maintaining your breath while your fingers move around the keyboard.
Also you might be operating the piano’s pedals while reading and interpreting sheet music at the same time
So everytime you sit down to play, you are ensuring that your brain capacity is increased and it manages all these functions easily.
So this makes sense, to be a master pianist you need to get to a level where you can easily juggle so many things at the same time while also playing beautiful music.
In my opinion, this is one way learning how to play the piano benefits your brain.
Researchers found out the musicians and people who play the piano are much better than people who do not in incorporating sound patterns for a new language into words.
What this means is that all those hours you spent learning how to play the keyboard and read sheet music will definitely pay off when learning a new language
Also your brain is primed to understand speech in a noisy background.
One thing to note is that for kids with speech impairment, learning disabilities and finding it difficult to focus in noisy backgrounds, learning how to play the piano will definitely help them get better and become more attentive.
I have found out that music classes like playing the piano use the same neural processes that are deficient in people with developmental dyslexia or those who have difficulty hearing speech in a noisy place.
While we have talked about the mental demands of playing the piano, you should know that pianist brains are built differently.
Research and breakthroughs in brain scans and imaging have shown that playing the piano actually strengthens the right and left hemispheres of the brain, and makes the connections in the frontal lobe more efficient.
This means that as a pianist, you have a significant leg up over others in terms of problem solving, language, spontaenity, decision making and social behaviour.
I also read somewhere about a landmark study that was carried out on the effects of playing the piano as a kid before the age of seven.
It found that the “corpus callosum” or the axons that connect both sides of the brain, was unusually thick in the child pianists.
Schlaug’s work had some skeptics to start with, and for one thing, people claimed that there might be a confusion between cause and effect.
The corpus callosum might have been bigger initially in those subjects.
However, further studies have given yet more insight
4. It helps you think outside the box
Have you ever wondered how some certain people usually come up with brilliant ideas?
And for some other – ehn not so much
Well it has to do with the fact that their brains have been well developed
Now I am not going to specifically say that some people are better at coming up with ideas because they know how to play the piano
But what I will say is this learning how to play a musical instrument, especially the piano, goes a long way in helping you think outside the box and come up with unique ideas and opportunities.
A study was conducted by researchers at the University of Vanderbilt, and it was discovered that musicians and pianists have a unique proficiency in a creative technique called “divergent thinking”
This simply means they have the ability to come up with new solutions to open ended, multifaceted problems
Their work suggests that because playing music enhances communication between parts of the brain, musicians literally think about complex problems differently, and come up with more creative solutions.
And this has a wide range of benefits aside just playing the piano
Think of it this way – someone who is a convergent thinker will come up with limited solutions to a problems
He only sees things and solutions in a linear fashion, whereas a divergent thinker is looking for creative and simpler ways to get things done quicker and faster.
There are theories that even the style of piano you are playing can influence the way your brain is wired to think.
Music is one of the few disciplines that encourages improvisation and making things up on the spot.
This means that your brain is being asked to do a lot of things at once.
You need the factual, analytical data, such as the time signature, the key, and how to play specific notes, but at the same time, you are also using your brain in a creative way.
You might be wondering what to play next, and literally composing as you go along.
To watch someone improvise music is truly startling to a lot of us.
These people are undeniably more likely to become “convergent thinkers”.
Learning piano benefits your brain in a way that can’t be achieved by other disciplines.
Not a lot of things require you to be using quite so much of your brain, and this leads to finding solutions and “thinking outside the box” in ways others may not.
5. It increases your IQ by several points
If you have ever wondered to yourself how you can effectively increase your IQ, then you want to go get yourself a piano and learn how to play
Learning to play the piano has been proven to increase people’s IQ by at least 7 points.
And this has been found to be true in both children and adults
This is because, learning to play the piano has been linked to motor skills, hearing, storing audio information and memory increases in size as people learn to play the piano and become better at it.
It has also been shown that your normal day to day activities like being alert, planning your day and reading a book tends to improve when you start playing the piano.
Furthermore, it makes it easier to learn foreign languages due to improved recognition of tone and improvements in storing audio information.
By learning to play the piano, we are able to change the very architecture of our minds, whether we begin while we’re young or when we’re older, simply after a few months of playing for only an hour a week.
That’s right, just an hour a week is all it takes. Now if that isn’t mind-blowingly awesome, we just don’t know what is!
6. It positively affects your hormones
Playing music increases human growth hormone (HgH production among active older Americans).
Findings of a study revealed that the test group who took group keyboard lessons showed significantly higher levels of HgH than the control group people who did not play.
What this means is that as you start to play the piano and get better at it you find yourself having less and less cases of depression and anxiety.
It has been found and well documented that adults you played the piano had an increase in their self esteem and that they felt more independent.
One thing to note was that almost all the adults said that playing the piano helped them escape the stress and rigors of daily life.
Conclusion
In summary, here is what I will say – go learn how to play the piano
As a human and someone who is aware of your self importance, the best gift you can give yourself is the one that keeps on giving.
So if you can learn how to play the piano and watch your IQ and mental health climb and start getting better.
Tuning is an important part of regular piano maintenance.
Regular tunings keep the tension in the strings from loosening too much and allow the technician to inspect the instrument for signs of damage to the soundboard or action.
Most piano manufacturers recommend tuning the instrument at least twice a year.
However, there are times when pianos need additional tuning.
Brand-new pianos need as many as three or four tunings each year initially to give the strings a chance to stretch and settle.
Additionally, instruments used regularly, such as those in piano studios, practice rooms and churches, require additional tunings because the excessive playing affects the strings.
Pianos used for performance or recording typically go through tuning before each use, and pianos moved from one location to another or that experience extreme humidity changes require additional tunings.
How Long Does A Piano Stay Tuned For?
Usually a piano can stay tuned for 4 months before it needs to be tuned again.
This is because when tuning a piano you are usually fixing the strings and making sure that it gives off the right sound when used.
Some manufacturers are of the opinion that you should tune your piano once every 6 months, which is twice a year
Going by this, we can also say that the least a piano should stay tuned for is 6 months
Can A Piano Be Tuned After 20 Years?
Now looking at 20 years, it may come across as a very long time but one thing I have realised is that as long as the piano is still in good working condition, it can still be tuned.
Even after 100 years, so long as the piano is not damaged and still works perfectly, then it can still be tuned.
The only thing you might notice is that it will need some really good professionals to tune it, but it definitely can still be tuned and serviced even after 20 years.
If it is an old piano and you are considering tuning it, then there is something you need to be aware of.
Pianos that have been neglected for a very long time will need to have additional tuning which is called pitch raising to achieve concert pitch (also called A440 or standard pitch). …
On very old pianos with rusty strings, first tuning the piano to itself is sometimes advisable to test the condition of the piano before adding greater tension
This is a common question I hear from most people wanting to know if they can successfully tune their own piano
While I get that calling a professional to help you tune your piano can be costly, I will advise that if you can, then please get a professional to help you tune your piano.
But if you really must tune your own piano, then here is a step by step guide to help you do it properly.
First you need to ensure that you get the right tools, which include
The right tuning wrench. You want to make sure that the head is removable since the best wrenches are usually built this way
Make sure the tuning wrench also has a star head. This is because A square head will go over the pin, but you will not be able to place the wrench in an ergonomic position in order to finesse the string. You absolutely need a star hex head to properly tune your piano
You can also get a cheap tuning hammer that will fit your basic needs but ensure that you get high quality tools and not some cheap ones that will damage your piano
Also something you need to keep in mind is that softwares can actually help in tuning your piano. We live in the age of technology where softwares has been created that helps in efficiently tuning pianos better than any human can. So I will advise that you also look towards getting softwares that will make your job easier.
When tuning your piano yourself, there are many aspects that go into getting the right tune.
Getting the notes in tune is just the first step.
From watching professionals tune a lot of pianos, I have noticed how they strike the same note over and over again.
Sometimes at a very loud volume just to ensure that the notes sound right and that they hold.
There are many techniques utilized by fine tuners in order to be assured that the notes will hold beyond the first hard blow.
One thing you should know is that most strings have a tremendous amount of tension on them and setting the strings properly is usually a difficult task.
Strings have what is called speaking length and non-speaking length areas to them. In between these sections you have points of tension.
Setting a string requires you to deal with the tension points and how they will even out once you strike the string.
Once a note is struck, the tension will even out and the string goes out of tune.
As you can imagine, getting a string to set properly and hold tuning is a very complex task and is something that takes a true professional to finesse and get just right.
There are also over 220 strings on most pianos, and every one will have to be set properly for the piano to stay in tune – it’s a very time consuming task!
Another thing to remember is that when you go up into the higher treble notes the sound will not last very long.
So, it’s very difficult to hear or for a tuning application to register.
Even an experienced tuner can have issues hearing the correct pitch in the extreme high and low registers on a piano.
Will Moving A Piano Put It Out of Tune?
Another issue most people deal with is having to tune their pianos after moving houses or transporting it from one place to another.
After moving a piano, it is advisable that you allow the piano to acclimate to its new environment for at least 2 weeks before tuning.
If you do any tuning before then, the piano will likely go out of tune very quickly and you will need to have another tuning session to get it right
So ensure that you do not do any tuning for at least 2 weeks after moving to avoid wasting your money.
Letting a piano get very far out of tune isn’t good for it, but the harm is rarely irreparable.
A piano adjusts to the tension of its strings (typically 38,000 lbs of pressure).
When a piano is allowed to go out of tune, string tension is reduced and the piano settles to the new lower tension.
When the strings are pulled up to proper pitch again, the piano typically requires days or weeks to settle again.
As it adjusts the string tension is changed slightly and the piano needs tuning again.
As a result pianos that are neglected for a year or more often require two or more tunings to reach stability, while a piano that is kept reasonably in-tune holds its tuning better.
Is Tuning a Piano Dangerous?
While tuning a piano might be seen as very easy by most people, this particular job is not without its own dangers.
To get the right tension and sound, the strings are usually tightened to a collective 17 to 20 tons of tension
Also the Sitting right next to a piano sounding board exposes them to over 100 decibels the level at which permanent damage can set in
This is the reason why I will strongly advise that you get professional to help you tune your piano.
If there are any unavoidable obstacles or steps on the way, here’s what you can do:
When you reach the obstacle, the first of the movers should slightly lift the piano from one side and roll it over the other side of the barrier.
Then, as the other set of wheels approaches the obstacle, the other mover should lift the piano as well and cross over the obstacle slowly and patiently.
If the step is enormous and you cannot pick up the piano that high, use a ramp, and push the trolley up.
This trick also works when you have to shift the piano from the ground to the truck.
Other Things To Remember When Moving An Upright Piano:
Apart from all of this, there are certain other things that you should remember while you’re laying the piano on its back or moving it.
They are:
Consult a professional piano mover before you attempt to do it yourself. Even if it’s as simple as laying the piano on its back or side, professional consultation never hurts. Plus, the expert might help you avoid certain regrettable mistakes.
Gather the supplies and tools beforehand. If not, you’ll be panicking while trying to move the piano. Nothing will be within your reach, and you’ll only be frustrated.
Ensure that the floor or carpet underneath is clean and clear of any objects when you’re trying to lay the piano on its back.
Move out all the furniture and objects that might be a hindrance while you’re attempting to move the piano.
Make sure you have a ramp all ready for the more massive steps and stairs.
If you can, avoid using transportation trucks that don’t have a ramp.
Cover your piano, preferably in non-slip blankets. They give you more control while you’re trying to move around the piano and reduce the risk of an accident.
Secure the blankets’ edges and tuck them under the piano so that no one trips on them.
Lock the lid and make sure it’s secure. A bumpy ride or any small inconveniences can immediately damage the keys and other delicate elements inside the piano.
Make sure you have a step-by-step plan before you start doing any of this. If you don’t have a plan, you’ll only be confused at every step.
If it’s a grand piano, remove its legs before you move it. These legs are incredibly fragile, and they can break very quickly while you’re trying to transport the instrument.
Once you’re done moving, or when you move the piano back to its upright position, check whether everything is in place and tune the strings.
Conclusion
When you are trying to move the piano or lay it on its back, make sure you know what you’re doing.
If you are even slightly confused, don’t do it!
Take help from professionals instead, or at least get a consultation.
Whatever you do, never attempt to move a piano alone.
If you try to move the piano on your own, you might end up damaging the instrument and hurting yourself.
In the end, you’ll end up regretting the whole thing.
So, to avoid any injuries to you or your piano, make sure you take care of everything mentioned above and use all the knowledge for your benefit.
While pianos are beautiful, majestic instruments, they do have a dark side.
Piano wires are responsible for the instrument’s sound production, but did you know that they’re possibly the most dangerous part of your piano?
Many people don’t know this and suffer the consequences while tuning, cleaning, or scrapping a piano.
To ensure this doesn’t happen to you and you don’t hurt yourself, read the guide below to understand what these wires are, how they can be dangerous, and what you can do to avoid injury.
Then, spring steel, or modernly known as high carbon steel, replaced iron.
Today, you will find tempered high-tensile steel in modern pianos.
In some modern pieces, you will also find another unique type of wire.
These wires have a steel core with copper wire wound around it.
This winding significantly increases the wire’s mass without changing the stiffness a lot.
Most pianos have this type of wire in the lower notes because they can generate lower pitches.
A high-quality piano with a good design will not even let you notice that the wires have changed.
Can A Piano Wire Cut You?
Piano wires are sharp, and if you’re not careful, yes, they can cut you.
In fact, there are stories where assassins have used piano wires to cut through people.
Let’s not get into the details of that but, hopefully, you get the point!
However, understand that piano wires are not dangerous on their own.
They don’t have a massive ability to stretch when you apply tension to them.
They are not similar to elastic or rubber that might snap and hit you if you tug or pull at them.
They’re metal, and unless you have recently tuned them, they have very little energy stored.
Hence, even if the energy is released, it’s not too dangerous.
They’re only harmful if you’re mishandling them.
For example, if you’re not wearing gloves and you’re pulling at them, they might break apart and hurt you.
It is especially true when you are trying to scrap a piano.
As you open the lid to remove the wires, you must be very careful.
There have been several instances when people try to scrap the instrument at home, and one of the wires ends up hitting them quite badly since these wires are sharp.