{"id":28957,"date":"2025-08-08T10:39:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T09:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/?p=28957"},"modified":"2025-08-08T12:38:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:38:19","slug":"types-of-pianos-you-didnt-even-know-exist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/types-of-pianos-you-didnt-even-know-exist\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Pianos You Didn\u2019t Even Know Exist"},"content":{"rendered":"

What comes to mind when you hear the word piano?<\/p>\n

When most people think of pianos, they imagine two classic types: the upright and the grand. What if I told you the world of pianos is far more diverse – and in some cases, downright surprising?<\/p>\n

From compact hybrids to digital marvels and even pianos designed for the outdoors, there\u2019s a whole category of instruments that go beyond what you\u2019d expect. <\/p>\n

Whether you’re a curious beginner, a seasoned pianist, or just someone who thought there were only \u201ctwo kinds,\u201d this list might just change the way you think about the piano entirely.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into the types of pianos you probably didn\u2019t even know existed – and why they\u2019re worth knowing about.<\/p>\n

\"Man<\/a><\/p>\n

The \u201cFloating Piano\u201d<\/h2>\n

Imagine walking into a room and seeing a piano where the only thing attached to the ground is the stool! <\/p>\n

The Floating Fazioli, is an extraordinary piano designed by the engineer and pianist, Paolo Fazioli<\/a>, the founder of Fazioli Pianos. <\/p>\n

Fazioli blended his technical expertise with his passion for music, creating remarkable instrumental pieces that push the boundaries of normality. <\/p>\n

One would think a floating piano is held up by strings, yet The Floating Fazioli\u2019s entire structure is supported and anchored by the wall. <\/p>\n

How\u2019s that for engineering? Even the pedals don\u2019t touch the ground! <\/p>\n

Fazioli is a person of remarkable intellect, taking a simple piano design and transforming it into a piece of art. <\/p>\n

Some of the most expensive pianos ever are created by the Fazioli Piano<\/a> company. <\/p>\n

Fazioli\u2019s \u201cFloating Piano\u201d is only one of his many brilliant inventions. <\/p>\n

Pianist magazine, the ultimate resource for anyone who loves playing piano, published an article about some of Fazioli\u2019s most extravagant pianos which is definitely worth reading. Read the article here: https:\/\/www.pianistmagazine.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Headphones<\/a><\/p>\n

The “Silent Piano”<\/h2>\n

Many pianists find playing on a digital keyboard unsatisfying because of the differences in key touch and responsiveness compared to an acoustic piano. <\/p>\n

On the other hand, others struggle with the limitations caused by the volume and noise produced by traditional acoustic pianos, which can restrict practice times or environments. <\/p>\n

Imagine, then, a piano designed to replicate the authentic feel and appearance of a classic acoustic instrument, yet equipped with the capability to adjust or mute its volume at will. <\/p>\n

This concept is precisely embodied by what is known today as the Silent Piano. <\/p>\n

Just like a regular acoustic piano, the Silent Piano also has the same internal structure – but prevents the hammers from striking the strings and instead uses censors to capture your keystrokes. <\/p>\n

It then triggers a digital sound that allows it to be heard through headphones. <\/p>\n

This type of piano is ideal for those who desire the authentic look and feel of a traditional acoustic instrument, yet live in close quarters or have sound-sensitive neighbours.<\/p>\n

Yamaha was the first company to develop and produce these types of pianos in 1993, offering consumers their very own Silent Piano. <\/p>\n

Find out more about YAMAHA\u2019s Silent Piano here: https:\/\/europe.yamaha.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Pianola\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nPhoto credit: “A restored pneumatic player piano” by MxAesir<\/a> (talk<\/a> | contribs<\/a>). Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

The \u201cPlayer Piano\u201d<\/h2>\n

Known for its remarkable ability to play on its own, the Player Piano is as if a ghost possessed the instrument. <\/p>\n

The self-playing piano uses a complex mechanism to play music automatically, allowing one to enjoy the music without actually pressing down a key. <\/p>\n

Although many had the same idea of creating a piano playing by itself, it was Edwin S. Votey<\/a> who was the first person to successfully commercialise and popularise the instrument, which is also referred to as the Pianola<\/em>. <\/p>\n

Self-playing pianos, while more familiar to the public than some of the more obscure piano types, often don\u2019t receive the recognition they truly deserve. <\/p>\n

These fascinating instruments offer a unique dual functionality – they can be played manually like any traditional piano, but they also have the remarkable ability to play music on their own. <\/p>\n

This makes them perfect not only for pianists who want to enjoy hands-on playing, but also for those who simply want to sit back and listen as the piano performs pieces automatically.<\/p>\n

\"Toy<\/a><\/p>\n

\nPhoto credit: “Schoenhut 37-key Concert Grand (F3 to F6)” by Fanda1a<\/a>. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

The \u201cToy Piano\u201d<\/h2>\n

Also known as the kinderklavier<\/em>, the Toy Piano is a miniature, piano-like instrument often used by children. <\/p>\n

Its external design closely mirrors that of a traditional piano, offering the same timeless aesthetic appeal – but operates differently. <\/p>\n

Instead of strings, the Toy Piano uses metal rods. <\/p>\n

The hammers inside the instrument strike the metal rods, causing them to vibrate and create a bell-like sound. <\/p>\n

Toy Piano\u2019s typically have between 8 to 37 keys as opposed to the standard 88 keys on regular pianos. <\/p>\n

According to immigrantentrepreneurship.org<\/a>, it was first created in the late 1800s by Albert Schoenhut – a German-American toymaker. <\/p>\n

The instrument was originally made for children, hence the name, yet gained attraction to such an extent that some models are used professionally and even considered collectible. <\/p>\n

John Cage<\/a>, an American composer and music theorist, composed a whimsical and charming piece exclusively for the instrument called Suite for Toy Piano. <\/p>\n

Click this link to find out how a toy piano typically sounds: Mozart – Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March) Medley on Toy Piano<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Grand<\/a><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Reading about these fascinating and unexpected types of pianos might not have been on your radar before – but they\u2019ve definitely made it onto mine. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s incredible to realize that only a handful of these quirky, inventive, and downright brilliant piano variations are covered here, and yet they already hint at how wildly creative the piano world can be.<\/p>\n

So, the next time you find yourself thinking about pianos, your mind will likely go far beyond the usual grand or upright models. <\/p>\n

From silent pianos and toy-sized marvels to digital hybrids and see-through showpieces, it turns out the world of pianos is far more diverse than most people ever imagined.<\/p>\n

And now? You\u2019ve got a pocketful of intriguing piano facts to impress fellow musicians, or to break the ice in small talk with something way more interesting than the weather.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":28971,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,528],"tags":[551,552,550,553,549,554],"class_list":["post-28957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","category-piano-guide","tag-floating-piano","tag-player-piano","tag-silent-piano","tag-toy-piano","tag-types-of-pianos-you-didnt-even-know-exist","tag-unique-pianos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28957"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28959,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28957\/revisions\/28959"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonpianoinstitute.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}