Keyboard instrument

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/keyboard-instrument

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the instrument classification?Keyboard instruments
2. What is the primary sound production methods?Striking strings (piano), plucking strings (harpsichord), air through pipes (organ), electronic synthesis
3. How does a piano make sound?In a piano, hammers hit the strings when you press a key. The harder you press, the louder the note and the tone can change.
4. What is the difference between a piano and a harpsichord?A piano uses hammers to strike strings, so it can play louder or softer. A harpsichord plucks the strings with tiny quills, giving a bright but even sound that can’t change volume.

Polyphony: The simultaneous combination of two or more independent melodic lines.
Action (Piano): The complex mechanical system that transfers key presses to hammer strikes on piano strings.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): A technical standard that allows electronic musical instruments and computers to communicate.
Synthesizer: An electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals and can modify their sound.