An electric (electro-mechanical) piano is a touch sensitive keyboard instrument, in which the tone sources are struck or plucked mechanical resonators. It thus resembles an acoustic piano, electrical transducers are used, instead of a sound board, to pick up resultant vibrations. The output is amplified and/or directly recorded.
Although not strictly pianos, Electro-mechanical clavichords & harpsichords are included for completeness.
Electronic pianos use electronic means of sound generation & are not the subject of these pages.
In theory it may be possible to build a piano using purely electrical means of sound signal generation. With no mechanical resonators or electronics. No practical instrument of this type has yet been devised (see Telharmonium).
There are a variety of ways in which electronic piano synthesis can be accomplished. Early types were analogue: Individual oscillators, as in the RMI piano or a master oscillator with dividers, as in most other efforts. Early digital types included the Yamaha PF series, using FM synthesis.
Most current electronic pianos produce sound by playing short recordings (samples), of genuine acoustic or electro-mechanical instruments. These are usually more realistic than analogue types & are getting better. They currently still fall short of the performance capabilities & feel of the originals.
©
Ron Lebar. Updated: 19-10-7. Loaded:
