When a pianist pushes down a key on a piano, it activates a complex mechanism that ultimately causes hammers to strike the strings inside the instrument. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what happens:
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Key Pressed: When the pianist presses a key on the keyboard, it triggers a mechanical action.
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Action Mechanism: The pressed key moves a lever (also called a 'wippen') which in turn lifts a hammer that is connected to it via a system of small parts and joints.
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Hammer Strikes: As the lever moves, the hammer is lifted and then released, allowing it to hit the corresponding piano strings.
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Strings Vibrate: The impact of the hammer on the strings causes the strings to vibrate. The vibration of these strings produces sound waves.
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Sound Production: The sound produced by the vibrating strings is amplified by the body of the piano, which acts as a resonating chamber.
The whole process is quite rapid and allows for the expression of dynamics and touch in piano playing. If the pianist releases the key, the hammer is disengaged from the string, and the sound will gradually fade as the strings continue to vibrate until they stop, a process also influenced by the use of the sustain pedal (which lifts the dampers off the strings, allowing them to continue vibrating longer).
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