Pianos are referred to by some people as the mother of all instruments, and are amongst the most widely played musical instrument in the world. Every single aspect about the piano such as its tone, melodious sound and indeed even its grand looks is wonderful. For a music lover, piano music is so sweet that it makes their heart listen to it over and over again. Given below are some interesting information about this wonderful musical instrument that has enthralled generations of music lovers.

Pianos are musical instruments that can be used for producing percussion, string or keyboard music. Invented by Bartolomeo Cristifori of Florence, Italy, the piano was originally known as pianoforte in Italian. In the initial days of its invention, a piano had 85 keys or 7 octaves from A0 to A7. However, modern versions of the piano have 88 keys or 7 1/3 octaves. An octave is a combination of 5 black keys and 7 white keys.

Pianos are generally of four types namely the Concert Grand, Grand Piano, Baby Grand and the Upright Piano. Concert Grand pianos are the classical models that make the art of playing the piano an amazing experience. Grand Pianos are generally intended for playing at the home and for learners. Baby Grand Pianos are used by beginners and novices, as they are simpler to learn. Upright Pianos are smaller in size and ideal for small homes. Different people have different needs and the availability of piano in various shapes and sizes helps meet the requirements of pianists of different levels and tastes.

Pianos are differentiated on the basis of their shapes sizes colors, sounds, various types of wood finishes, looks, costs and reliability. Many pianists today prefer to use digital pianos, made by reputed piano makers such as Korg, Roland and Yamaha. The real fun of playing a piano lies in the acoustic pianos, which are generally very expensive. The costs of acoustic pianos are typically in the range of $20000 for a good baby grand piano and almost $400000 for a higher quality concert grand piano. Amongst the many sellers of premium quality acoustic pianos are Steinway & Sons and Bosendorfer, either of who have built a reputation over time. There are some real good acoustic used pianos also found on the Internet.