The Piano and Organ
The piano and organ are members of the keyboard family. The piano is a relatively new instrument but the organ is very ancient. The instrument has been around since the year 3 BCE. Originally known as the pipe organ because notes were made by pumping air through pipes of varying sizes via bellows. Thanks to Mr. Hammond much of the world now uses an electric organ. A few pipe organs can still be found today mostly in churches. Reportedly the largest pipe organ in the world can be found in a Congregational Church in Los Angeles where concerts are given daily; there are so many pipes that the listener is surrounded by pipes. The pipes are made of wood and metal and can be round or square. Originally used primarily in churches today the ancient instrument can be found on stage with rock bands and jazz musicians.
Organs have a set of pedals for the bass notes and row(s) of keyboards called manuals. Each manual has 62 keys. The one used by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has five. Besides the keyboard the instrument has buttons known as stops that can reproduce many different sounds; the sound produced by those used in churches has a different sound than those used in theatres which has a brassier sound.
A piano can come in a variety of sizes and with the exception of the Busendorf, which has 92, comes with 88 keys – 36 black and 52 white – to form a range of seven and one half octaves. The piano is divided into the spinet, the studio or upright, and the grand. Created in the seventeen hundreds the instrument was originally called the pianoforte since contrary to its counterpart found in the church can be played soft or loud.
Both instruments can last for generations if cared for properly. Both require occasional tuning to ensure proper sound.
Organs have a set of pedals for the bass notes and row(s) of keyboards called manuals. Each manual has 62 keys. The one used by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has five. Besides the keyboard the instrument has buttons known as stops that can reproduce many different sounds; the sound produced by those used in churches has a different sound than those used in theatres which has a brassier sound.
A piano can come in a variety of sizes and with the exception of the Busendorf, which has 92, comes with 88 keys – 36 black and 52 white – to form a range of seven and one half octaves. The piano is divided into the spinet, the studio or upright, and the grand. Created in the seventeen hundreds the instrument was originally called the pianoforte since contrary to its counterpart found in the church can be played soft or loud.
Both instruments can last for generations if cared for properly. Both require occasional tuning to ensure proper sound.
