More Than Black and White Keys: A Critical Review of Keyboard Instruments

As I settled on the worn wooden bench for my first organ lesson, a mix of emotions rushed through my mind. I looked down at the familiar black and white keys beneath my fingers with relief, but when I glanced up at a second keyboard and a row of switches, I cringed. My teacher flipped the power switch and the organ began to hum. Tentatively, I tested out a simple melody. The blast of sound that came from the pipes behind me caught me off-guard. This was nothing like the piano I knew so well. Yes, the organ features a set of black and white keys and produces beautiful music, but the similarities end there. The piano and pipe organ, two common keyboard instruments, differ greatly in structure, sound, and use.

Simply structured instruments are cost effective and space efficient. Musicians prefer affordable instruments that fit in small performance spaces over extravagant, expensive versions. A simply structured, comprehensible keyboard instrument will best suit the average musician.

The piano, one of the most well-known keyboard instruments, comes in several sizes. Upright pianos range from three to five feet tall, nearly five feet long, and serve as the best option for a home piano. Grand pianos average three feet tall and four to nine feet long. Wealthy, professional musicians and large organizations tend to buy grand pianos. Pianos cost anywhere from $2,000 to $200,000 new, but many buyers turn to used upright pianos for cheaper options.

No matter the size or cost, all pianos contain the same basic elements. The instrument's outer mechanisms do not present great challenges for musicians. Pianists only need an understanding of a single keyboard and up to three foot pedals.

In contrast, the pipe organ is large, expens...

... middle of paper ...

...duces an impressive sound, it is expensive, impractical, and complex in comparison to the piano. Anyone searching for a keyboard instrument will have more luck in locating both piano music and the piano itself. Most listeners will find the simplicity of piano music more comprehensible than organ music. Pianos and pipe organs may both share black and white keys and the ability to produce simple, beautiful melodies, but the piano better serves its purpose.

Works Cited

Ardley, Neil. A Young Person's Guide to Music. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2004. Print.

Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America. Planning Space for Pipe Organs: An Architect's Guide. The Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, n.d. PDF file.

Bluebook of Pianos. N.p. 2011. Web. 7 Jan. 2012.

Goffe, Toni. XYZ of Musical Instruments. London: Transworld Publishers Limited, 1978. Print.