The piano, originally named the gravicembalo col piano e forte ("harpsichord with soft and loud"), is a complex marvel of engineering that has evolved from a 49-key 18th-century novelty into a global cultural icon with a standard 88 keys. Unlike its predecessor, the harpsichord, which plucked strings at a constant volume, the piano's invention by Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700 introduced a hammer mechanism that allowed for dynamic expression through touch. The Mechanics of Sound
Sound production in a piano is a chain reaction of mechanical energy: The Piano's Origins: History, Evolution & Craftsmanship
