Brainstorming (Piano Action)

• Piano is a Percussion Instrument.
• Percussion Instrument makes sound when two things collide with each other.
• Piano Action
• On the Piano, hammer moved by depressed keys by finger pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs) + hands + forearms
• It is often misunderstood that it is the finger pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs) and the keys.
• Hammers + Finger Pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/Sides (thumbs) + Hands + Forearm on the piano
  = Mallet + fingers + hands + forearm on the other percussion instruments
• Strings on the piano = drum head/timpani head and other parts being stricken on the other percussion instruments
• Sound (= Vibration) of the Piano is the loudest at the moment of playing, then it decays
• Once a sound is produced (the vibration is started), nothing we can do can make it louder, including pushing down the key(s) with muscles.
• This is one reason why playing the piano can be tiring - pushing down the key(s) after the the sound is produced instead of resting down.
• On the percussion instruments, how fast the two things collide with each other determines how loud the sound is produced.
• On the piano, fast key depression = loud sound
• On the piano, slow key depression = soft sound
• It is misunderstood that it is how much weight by muscle use that changes the dynamics (loudness or softness) of the sound.
• Even if we place the tremendous amount of weight on the keys,
• If it is fast, the sound will be loud
• If it is slow, the sound will be soft
• It requires about 50 grams to depress a key, but if the sound is harsh, most likely the pianist is applying more weight produced by the muscle use.
• If the key speed is too slow, there will be no sound.
• If the key speed is too fast, the sound will be harsh (too loud).
• Two levels of playing
• If a key is depressed at some speed,
• and aimed at the bottom of the keys (1 centimeter, the maximum depth keys can go down), the sound is likely to be harsh.
• and aimed at the point of sound (less than 1 centimeter, the minimum depth keys have to go down to play sound), the sound is likely to be softer and more beautiful.
• Aiming the bottom of the keys is technically less demanding as the piano is going to stop the keys to go any deeper.
• Aiming the point of sound is technically more demanding as the pianist will have to control the amount of muscle use and arm weight released on the finger pads (2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs)
• In-and-Out
• Piano uses leverage system
• Key goes down
• Hammer goes up (grand piano)/forward (upright) and hits the strings
• Distance from the fulcrum
• Close/In: heavy + short distance going down
• Far/Out: light + more distance going down
• Playing Out (far from the fulcrum) is easier than In (close to the fulcrum).
• Function of Dampers
• When keys are not depressed, dampers touch the strings to keep the strings from vibrating (= producing sound)
• When keys are depressed, not even reaching the point of sound or bottom of the keys, dampers stop touching the strings to sustain vibration (= sound)
• Dampers on the piano = Timpanists' hands to hold the timpani head to stop the sound
• Pedals
• To apply the pedal, we place the toes or ball of foot on the pedal, keep the heal on the floor, and depress (going down) and release (the pedal back to the surface) the toes or ball of foot
• Damper Pedal
• Pedal on the right
• When applied, the dampers stop touching the strings, allowing the strings to vibrate without keeping the keys depressed by the finger pads (2s,3s,4s, and 5s)/sides (thumbs)
• When released, the dampers touch the strings again, 
• Overtone Series make selected strings to vibrate, making the sound richer.
• Soft Pedal
• Pedal on the left
• When applied,
• On the grand piano, slides the hammers and strings to the right by one string (lower pitches have 2→1 strings, and higher pitches have 3→2 strings)
• On the upright piano, lower the keys and get hammers closer to the strings, giving the strings fewer distance to travel towards the strings, reducing the acceleration caused by dropping (and therefore slowing down the key speed)
• Should be used when pp (pianissimo) or softer sound is to be produced
• Sostenuto Pedal
• Middle Pedal (European)
• Similar to Damper Pedal, only works on the depressed keys.
• When applied, it allows some keys to sustain the sound with release, while others remain not sustained once the keys are released
• Silent Pedal
• Middle Pedal (Asia)
• When applied, the strings get covered by cloth, reducing (= slowing down key speed) impact by the hammer striking the strings, making the sound softer