All Questions
10
questions
2
votes
1
answer
108
views
History of "white keys" and "black keys" as idiom
When explaining music theory in layman's terms, it's common to refer to "white keys" and "black keys" and take for granted that everyone knows what a piano looks like.
But ...
- 1,880
10
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Black and white keyboard keys
I've often wondered why there needs to be a different colour in the keys on pianos, organs and keyboards. After all, their location and shape differentiates them regardless. I can understand the need ...
- 195k
15
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What is the rationale of electronic keyboards having the voices that they do?
It inevitably starts with a piano voice, then electric piano voices. Chromatically pitched percussion, guitars, strings, and so on, ending with drums. Even the most limited of keyboards have this ...
- 882
28
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why does a 97 / 92 key piano exist by Bösendorfer?
Pianos normally have 88 keys, ranging from A0 to C8. One of Bösendorfer's pianos go down to F below the low A. The other model goes down to C. How did this happen?
user53472
13
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Unusual keyboard in a picture
I came across the picture which represents the piano keyboard with equally spaced black keys (as if two missing were added to ordinary keyboard).
The picture is a painting by Silvestro Lega, named Il ...
3
votes
1
answer
300
views
Why do keyboards have the current configuration, based on Do scale?
As a kid I always wondered why there was a missing key between Fa and Mi in piano keyboards. Later I learned the reason. There is only a semi-tone distance between this two notes and therefor no in ...
- 873
2
votes
2
answers
371
views
keyboard instrument with only some of the black keys
I have a vague memory of seeing a photo of an ancient keyboard instrument (a calvichord?) that had only some of the black keys - maybe just B flat and F sharp. Alas, I can't find anything similar now....
- 63
19
votes
5
answers
8k
views
Was Bach the first to use thumbs on a keyboard?
This question reminded me of a claim that I've heard before, namely, that J. S. Bach was the first keyboardist to utilize the thumbs in his playing technique. I'm not sure where I've heard this, but ...
- 20.8k
15
votes
2
answers
892
views
Did baroque composers expect you to "bring out" the voices in their pieces, the way today's critics seem to enjoy in players?
So, I recently had a, sadly, way too short conversation with a pianist on the train.
According to the guy, in the 17th and 18th century polyphonic keyboard works were not played in such a way that ...
22
votes
6
answers
17k
views
Origin of the asymmetrical keyboard layout of a piano
The piano keyboard has white keys based on the C Diatonic scale plus black keys, which add the remaining notes used in western music.
The asymmetrical way in which the black and white keys are placed ...
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