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2650 BCE
the "Ke"
The Chinese had fashioned an instrument called the “ke” which had strings strung over a movable bridge on a wooden box that could be plucked to produce various tones -
582 BCE
monochord
Pythagóras began experimenting with musical sounds and mathematics, inventing the Monochord -
100
harmonic monochord
A movable bridge was added to the Monochord allowing for more intonation -
1000
keys added to the monochord
Clavis (keys) were applied to the monochord and contemporary organs and began to prick strings on a scale division to ensure proper tone -
1350
clavicyterium
The clavicytherium was invented, an instrument with strings arranged in a harp-like triangle -
1419
ornamental clavicytherium
the clavicytherium was made to look more ornate -
1501
clavachord
Clavichord changes were made to assign individual keys to strings for easier playing and to add a cloth between strings acting as a damper -
1503
spinet of spinnetti
Adaptations of the clavichord led to the introduction of the spinet by Giovanni Spinnetti. It was a longer-stringed clavichord with tangents that pricked the strings using a quill fastened to a jack -
1504
1504 spinet
it is a graceful pentagonal shape of the case conforms to the layout of the strings stretched over the soundboard, and the exterior is richly decorated with panels of inlaid wood, mother-of-pearl, and tracery -
1521
the harpsicord
The harpsichord was introduced as an offshoot of the spinet -
double keyboard harpsichord
a second layer of keys was added for a more variety of notes -
Cristofori's Piano e forte
Cristofori introduced the first hammer-action pianoforte and is credited by many as the “inventor” of the piano -
Christofori Grand Piano
A grand piano version of Christori's piano e forte was created -
Zumpe square piano
the square piano was introduced by Johannes Zumpe in London, England -
Grand Pianoforte
Stodard introduced the first “Grand Pianoforte” -
Nannette Stein-Streicner Grand Action
The Stein and Stein-Streicher piano hammer changes improved the tone of grand pianos and were preferred by many contemporary composers -
Hawkin's upright piano
Several European manufacturers introduced upright pianos. Wornum’s upright became popular for its improved sound quality from others -
first electric keyboard
made by Elisha Gray, Gray's invention used an electro-acoustic principle whereby a set of tuned steel reeds were vibrated by an electromagnetic current the resulting self-oscillating current could then be transmitted over a telephone line as a buzzing musical tone -
Neo-Bechstein electric grand piano
The first electric piano to have many keys -
the first yamaha electric piano
The Yamaha YP-40 Clavinova (often cited as the first digital piano) went to market, along with the Yamaha PF series of pianos, from 1983