Plural of piano, referring to multiple keyboard musical instruments with strings struck by hammers. Large musical instruments capable of producing both soft and loud sounds.
From Italian 'pianoforte', meaning 'soft-loud', referring to the instrument's ability to play both quietly and loudly. Shortened to 'piano' in common usage, maintaining the Italian plural form or anglicized as 'pianos'.
The piano was revolutionary because it was the first keyboard instrument that could vary volume based on how hard you pressed the keys - unlike harpsichords which plucked strings with consistent force. A concert grand piano contains over 10,000 individual parts and weighs about 1,000 pounds!
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