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Like numberless other inventions, the piano was founded on earlier technological innovations
- The mechanisms of keyboard instruments such as the clavichord and the harpsichord were well known
- In a clavichord the strings are struck by tangents, while in a harpsichord they are plucked by quills
- Centuries of work on the mechanism of the harpsichord in particular had shown the most effective ways to engineer the case, soundboard, bridge, and keyboard
- Cristofori, himself an expert harpsichord maker, was well acquainted with this tenement of knowledge.
The extra keys are added primarily for increased resonance from the associated strings; that is, they vibrate sympathetically with other strings whenever the damper pedal is depressed and thus give a fuller tone. Only a very small fraction of works composed for piano actually applicability these notes. Deeper recently, the Stuart and Grand Piano Covers Sons body disappointment also manufactured extended-range pianos. On their instruments, the range is extended both down the bass to F0 and up the treble to F8 for a full eight octaves. The extra keys are the same as the other keys in appearance.