Electric piano

An electric piano is a musical instrument that looks like a regular piano with its familiar musical keyboard. But instead of producing sound through strings that vibrate in air like an acoustic piano, an electric piano uses mechanical hammers to strike metal strings, reeds, or wire tines. These vibrations are then turned into electrical signals by special devices called pickups.

These electrical signals travel to an instrument amplifier and then to a loudspeaker, making the sound loud enough for both the performer and the audience to hear clearly. This lets electric pianos create many different tones, from soft and gentle to bright and clear, depending on how they are adjusted.

Electric pianos became very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Many famous musicians used them to add special sounds to their music. People still like electric pianos today because they are useful and can fit many kinds of music.

History

The Neo-Bechstein electric piano was built in 1931. The Vierlang-Forster electric piano came in 1937. In 1939, the RCA Storytone electric piano was made by Story & Clark and RCA. The case design was by John Vassos, an American designer, and it was shown at the 1939 World's Fair.

Types

The term "electric piano" includes several different instruments, each with its own way of making sound.

Some electric pianos, like those made by Yamaha, Baldwin, Helpinstill, and Kawai, use strings and hammers similar to regular pianos. Yamaha’s models change the string vibrations into electrical signals using piezoelectric pickups. Others, like Wurlitzer’s models, use flat steel reeds struck by felt hammers.

Other types include instruments that use tuning forks, like the Fender Rhodes, and instruments that use plucked reeds, like the Hohner Pianet. The Clavinet by Hohner works like an electric clavichord, using rubber pads to press strings against metal anvils to create sound.

Main article: Electric grand piano

Digital pianos

Digital pianos that sound like electric pianos have become very popular since the 2010s. They are small and light. They can play many kinds of sounds, like Hammond organ and synthesizer sounds. Some musicians still use older electric pianos for recording music. In 2009, Rhodes made a new line of electric pianos called the Rhodes Mark 7. Later, Vintage Vibe also made their own versions.