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Acoustic Piano Definition  

An acoustic piano is a piano that uses exclusively mechanical action to produce its sound and does does not utilize any electrical or electronic circuitry. Until the invention of the electric piano in the late 1920s, all pianos were acoustic pianos. Invented around 1700, acoustic pianos produce their sound when a key is pressed, causing a small padded hammer to strike several of the 230 tightly stretched wires. The hammer rebounds from the wires, which continue to vibrate at their resonant frequency. These vibrations are transmitted through a bridge to a soundboard that amplifies the sound. When the key is released, a damper stops the wires' vibration.

There are two basic types of acoustic pianos. Upright pianos have has strings and a soundboard that are positioned vertically, thus minimizing space consumption, weight and cost. Grand pianos have frame and strings that are extended horizontally, and although consuming substantially more space, they offer improved flexibility of performance, a richer sound quality, and a much greater dynamic range. Much of this difference is due to the horizontal orientation of grand pianos, which allows the use of gravity instead of springs for the hammer mechanism and also allows the sound to emanate from the top instead of from the rear.

Electronic pianos, also referred to as digital pianos and as distinguished from electric pianos, first appeared in the 1970s and have been becoming increasing popular in recent years in place of acoustic pianos because they are usually smaller and lighter in weight, are typically much cheaper, have volume controls, can be listened to with headphones, and because their sound quality has continued to improve. However, their sound, including the range of expressiveness is still inferior to that of acoustic pianos.