How Many Keys Are on a Piano
The piano is one of the most popular musical instruments in the world. It can be used in a variety of different musical styles and is commonly used for composing music. The instrument is played via small black and white keys. Each press of a key causes a hammer to strike a steel string inside the piano. These vibrate to create the familiar sounds of a piano. Have you ever wanted to know how many keys are on a standard piano? Keep reading to find the answer.
How many keys does a piano have?
When it was first invented the piano had 60 keys like the harpsichord it was modeled after. As composers developed more complicated musical compositions, and different musical notes, more keys were added to the piano. In the 19th century it was common for pianos to have 85 keys. Since this time 3 keys have been added to the top of the piano. This means that most modern pianos have a total of 88 keys, which are made up of 52 white keys and 36 black keys.
There are exceptions to this general rule, such as Bösendorfer pianos that can have up to 97 keys. Interestingly, these are sometimes covered with a removable lid so that piano players familiar with a regular sized piano do not become confused.
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