Piano Pitch And Dynamics

Just a few terms you should be familiar with when beginning to learn the piano.

What is the Pitch of a Piano

The pitch refers to how high or low the note being played or sung is. For example, women can sing higher pitches than men. In a piano the pitch of note increases and becomes higher as you move ‘up’ the keyboard I.e. From left to right.

The piano is different from all other non keyboard interments in the sense that it has the highest pitch range of all. It can play the lowermost and the higher notes than any other non keyboard musical instrument. Another thing of note is that in order to reproduce this pitch variation you simply have to reach out and press the respective key as opposed to wind instruments like the saxophone or a flute where the pitch range depends on the skill of the player. The expert players are able to squeeze out higher notes on these instruments than others. Other instruments like the drums and other percussion instruments also have a pitch. If you notice the drums are also tuned by tightening the knobs on the rim of the drum to make the skin taut. However, there is no variation in the pitch when they are being played.

What are the Dynamics of the Piano

Now for the dynamics of the piano. Dynamics simply means how softly and how loudly an instrument can be played. As you will be well aware, a piano can be played softly and really loudly as well depending on the force with which the piano keys are pressed. In fact the dynamics of the piano have improved over the years with the ‘piano action’ becoming more sensitive and sophisticated and responsive to the touch of the piano player.

Now there are other instruments that can be played loudly and softly. For example, the string instruments like the guitar and the violin. Out of these two, the guitar is probably the more dynamic one. However, as comparisons go, the piano is most dynamic of them all. The range of volume it can be played with ranges from soft and sonorous to a making a racket and bringing the roof down. Adding to the softness of the piano volume is the function of the left and the middle piano pedals. Depending on the make and design of the piano, one or both of them can be used to soften the volume of the piano further.

So without further ado, try experimenting with the pitch and the dynamics on your piano. Try the pitch of the piano by playing the keys on the extreme left of the keyboard and the on the right. Work your way up the keyboard and see how the pitch becomes higher. Getting familiar with the pitch of the piano keyboard will help you get accustomed to the sound of the piano. Often the sound of a song will be decided according to how high or low you want to play on the keyboard.

Check out the dynamics of the piano by hitting the keys softly and then hard. Playing a piano piece with the right volume variation is a talent and important in replicating the original sound. Almost all kind of piano playing requires a variation in the volume. Get familiar with how loud or how soft your piano sounds to different degree of touch. This is all for now regarding the dynamics and pitch of the piano. Enjoy experimenting with your piano!