The white keys represent the musical tones A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The black keys differ from the white keys in that they represent half-step intervals — known as sharps and flats — between various notes. Could pianos be made with even more keys?

semitone

For example, on a piece of music, if you see a sharp on the note E, it means to play the note to the right of E on your piano. It means to play the key that is a semitone higher. This is actually, the note E#, although it is normally labeled as F on your piano and is the same key.

88 keys

Why this happened is not well understood, but because visually, the color white stands out while the color black recedes into the background, the reason is said to be because making the half-tone keys that stick out black presents an image of stability to the eye.

The black keys on the piano are known as the flat and sharp keys. In technical terms this means they make a note half a step (or a semitone) lower and higher respectively in pitch from their corresponding white key. Each black key acts as both a sharp and a flat.

The American piano industry voluntarily abandoned ivory as a key-covering material and switched to plastic in the mid-1950s. By the 1980s, European makers had taken the same path.

When a note is raised by a half step by adding a sharp or flat accidental, the key that often corresponds to the accidental is a black key—which is a half step away from its neighboring white key. Each note on the piano can have a sharp or a flat, but there are fewer black piano keys than white ones.

All Steinway piano keys are made from white plastic. However, you may feel that the real danger is in the perpetuation of “tickling the ivories,” and until all piano keys are plastic, the problem remains.

Like antique books, antique pianos are not worth a lot of money just because they are old. In actuality these old instruments may be worth very little at all. Most antique, upright pianos are worth $500 or less in very good condition.

Indeed, ivory is illegal to buy and sell in most places today. Since ivory is scarce, it makes sense to think that they have some value if in good condition. Sadly, this is far from the case.

Ivory keys are made in three pieces–key, stem and front, where as plastic keytops only have two pieces–the top and front. If you look closely at the keys, you can see the fine line that is the joint between the keytop and the stem. If this line is present, your keys are indeed ivory.

Firstly, Ivory keys are often rare and hard to find, and in addition to this the keys are not pure white, but rather an off-white color. Over time the keys can become yellow, and should be whitened but this requires more dedication and attention when cleaning.

Wrap the lid, keys and all sides of the piano in moving blankets. Secure all blankets with tape. You’ll also want to wrap the piano’s legs and pedals in separate moving blankets. Make sure these pieces are safe and secure, then gently tilt the piano onto the piano board.

Moving a piano on its back or on its side does not harm a piano. A piano can be moved, tilted, or rotated without doing it damage. Damage to a piano occurs when it is dropped, or bumped, or when foreign objects are inside the piano when moving. Moving a piano takes preparation to avoid damage.