A piano that has been modified by placing objects like screws, rubber, or paper between or on the strings to alter its timbre and create percussive, metallic, or otherworldly sounds.
The term combines 'prepared' (made ready) with 'piano,' describing the process of modifying the instrument before performance. John Cage pioneered this technique in the 1940s as a way to create an entire percussion orchestra with a single instrument.
The prepared piano transformed the most civilized of instruments into a sonic laboratory - John Cage's preparations could make a grand piano sound like a gamelan orchestra, a steel drum band, or even rainfall, proving that musical innovation often comes from reimagining familiar tools!
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