What may seem to shine and reflect such beauty and craftsmanship, yet can be wielded by a three year old. Its sound so pure at the touch of a finger has existed for over a hundred years and is the basis for creating music. Its black and white keys produce sounds, when played correctly, that can bring tears to the eyes, touch the heart and soul, bring hope or even joy and laughter to an event. All this power… resides in the piano. The piano, from its creation to the present, has transformed the world of music, regardless of class, talent and skill. For starters, the word piano comes from the Italian word “pianoforte” which means “quiet” and “loud.” "respectively ("Pianonet.com"). These words refer to how a pianist can produce sounds at both volumes based on the amount of speed at which the keys are struck. The faster a key is struck, the more strong will be the note. Historians are not sure of the exact year in which Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the piano. Before the piano, he produced and created other instruments such as the harpsichord and the clavichord, which became popular at the time (“Pianonet.com” ) These instruments were the closest objects to the piano and from the images you can see their influence on how the piano was created. Figure 1 From left to right you have: clavichord, piano and harpsichord. This shows more clearly how these instruments are all However, the piano has come a long way since its first creation in the early 1700s. It took less than 20 years before we began to see the changes when Gotfried Silbermann added the first pedal to the piano. Known for his organ building, he added a damper pedal ("Pianonet.com"). However, due to the Indus...... middle of paper......er instrument. A guitar requires the right way to strum it, the drums require hand-eye coordination, and the organ requires the use of the foot and hands to play. The piano through its transformation – it transformed the music, and it will never be the same again. Works Cited Estrella, Espie. "Different types of pianos." Piano 04 September 2009: 1-5. Network. 17 April 2011. Beginnersguide/a/pianotypes.htm>. Heaton, Bari. "Piano tuners." UK Piano Pages. UK Piano Pages, June 5, 2007. Web. April 20, 2011. "History of the Piano." Pianonet.com. National Piano Foundation, 19 September 2009. Web. 20 April 2011. "Yamaha motif." Play it on the piano. Friend of Musicians, August 17, 2009.Web. April 12 2011. .