The piano is an incredible instrument that produces beautiful music, and understanding how it works can deepen your appreciation of its unique qualities. In this article, I want to give a very simple overview..

The piano works by pressing down on the keys with your fingers. Each key on the piano makes a different sound when you press it, and the sound is produced by small hammers inside the piano striking strings. 

Each note on the piano has multiple strings, which work together to create a full, rich sound. When you press a key, the hammer hits all of the strings for that note at the same time, creating a beautiful and complex sound.

The strings are made of steel and are stretched tightly across the inside of the piano. When a key is pressed, a small hammer moves towards the strings for that note, and hits them, causing it to vibrate and produce a sound.

The piano has pedals that you can use to control the sound of the instrument. The sustain pedal, located on the right, allows th...

Short answer; it depends how old the piano is!

During the early days of the piano's development in the 18th century, all piano keys were made from Ivory, which was valued for its durability and ability to produce a clear, bright sound. Piano makers would handpick the best ivory from elephant tusks to create keys for their pianos.

As the popularity of the piano grew in the 19th century, the demand for ivory increased dramatically, leading to an alarming decrease in elephant populations. by the  20th century, international efforts were made to protect endangered species, and the use of ivory for piano keys became controversial.

Nowadays, ivory is illegal to trade in many countries, which has prompted a search for alternative materials to create piano keys. Today, modern piano makers create keys using materials like Ivorine, a synthetic substance that mimics the look and feel of ivory, whilst being a more a long-lasting and durable material. It is difficult to distinguish from the real...