If you have ever wondered how many octaves there are on a piano, then you have come to the right place. It is important to be aware of the number of octaves that a wide variety of pianos can possess. Once you have this information, it is easier for you to determine whether a particular instrument is right for you or not. So, if you want to unlock the answers to this information, here is what you need to understand:
Breaking Down the Keyboard
Before you move onto octaves, you have to first be aware of the structure of a piano keyboard. This will help you to get a better grasp of the octaves on a piano. Thus, let’s begin with how many keys on keyboard there are.
Now, how many keys on standard piano? Well, there are 88 keys on a full-sized modern piano. This means that there are 52 white keys and 36 black keys. The keyboard has seven white keys that are tuned to major notes. There is one black key in between every two white keys.
You may be wondering if all pianos have the same number of keys. For instance, how many keys are on a grand piano? Although grand pianos are considerably larger than standard upright ones, they still have the same number of keys.
However, this doesn’t automatically mean that all pianos have the same number of keys. Some pianos have smaller and larger keyboards than traditional designs. As such, they will have fewer or more keys, according to the size.
Since you are now aware of how many piano keys are there, your next order of business is to learn what an octave is.
What is an Octave?
There are several natural notes on a piano – a grouping of seven white keys. These are C, D, E, F, G, A, B. The notes repeat throughout the piano keyboard. An octave is defined as a musical interval. As such, it is the interval between two of the same notes.
This means that the distance between C and the next C following it is known as an octave. It is this distance that has lent its name to the term octave as well. “Octa” refers to the eight notes that exist from one note to another. This answers the question of how many notes are in an octave – eight!
The math doesn’t end here, though. Since there are eight notes in an octave, this means that there are seven white keys. And, according to the grouping of the black keys, there are five black keys included in an octave. As a result, there are 12 keys in between each octave.
When you move from one octave to another, you are said to be an octave higher or an octave lower, depending on the direction that you are moving in. Although octaves can sound similar to one another, they are actually either lower or higher in pitch to the previous note.
Octaves on a Standard Piano
Of course, the main matter here is the number octaves on a piano. As mentioned, there are different types of pianos, each with their own individually sized keyboards. Due to this, let’s begin by discussing the number of octaves on a standard piano.
As mentioned, a standard piano has 88 keys. And, as you are aware, there are 12 keys in an octave. This means that there are seven octaves on a standard piano, plus three additional notes.
The Evolution of the Piano Octave
You may be trying to figure out why the standard number of octaves on a piano is seven. Or, why are there even 88 keys on a traditional piano? Why is the standard number of keys and octaves higher or lower? Well, there is both a historical and functional reason for this.
The first thing that you have to know is that, originally, pianos were merely a modification of an instrument known as a harpsichord. Thus, when the first piano was designed, it had just 60 keys. This meant that these early pianos had just five octaves.
Composers kept becoming more creative in their compositions. In doing so, they found that five octaves was limiting their ability to create new music. In particular, composers like Beethoven and Schubert felt that the key range of these pianos was too small. This led to newer, larger keyboards being created.
This trend continued until the invention of the 88 key keyboard in the late 1800s by Steinway. This became the standard design when other manufacturers copied it and made their own.
So, why did this become the final keyboard? Why didn’t designers make an even larger keyboard? The fact of the matter is that there isn’t any use in creating a keyboard with more keys. This is because it is a widely accepted fact that the human ear can’t pick up notes outside of this as it is determined to be too low or high.
Not to mention, modern musicians have adapted their composition to match this 88 keyboard. What’s more, they don’t feel limited by the keys and the octaves available to them. Due to this, there isn’t much influence for piano manufacturers to change the design.
You will find an odd design here or there. For instance, in 2018, Stuart and Sons produced a piano with 108 keys and nine octaves. Then, there is Bösendorfer that sells 97 key pianos.
The Variation in Octave Notes Based on Piano Type
Since it has been established that piano keyboards of various sizes and numbers of keys exist, then it stands to reason that there are keyboards with fewer number of octaves. Thus, you can find 5/6/7/8 octave piano/keyboard options as well as ones with lower octaves as well!
Let’s take a look…
Extra Small
These keyboards often have just 25 – 37 keys, meaning that there are only two to three octaves. They are typically used for making electronic music and consist of spring loaded keys. These keyboards don’t actually produce sound are used for composition instead.
Here, you plug the keyboard into a computer via a USB or MIDI. Then, you use a program to compose the music. As such, you can’t practice or play on one of these keyboards.
Small
These pianos are pretty basic, with just 49 keys and four octaves. While they do boast spring loaded key, this type of piano is designed for experts or performances. Rather, it is meant to be practiced on. They are largely for piano students who want to learn the fundamentals of the instrument and playing.
This piano allows them to do this without requiring the kind of investment that a standard piano would. Most students outgrow this piano rather quickly. After a while, you will need to move to one with a greater number of keys and octaves.
Medium
Then, there are the medium pianos. With 61 keys and 5 octaves, they are a step up from small keyboards. Once again, this is a great piano to practice your skills on and learn the basics of piano playing. However, you will not outgrow this one quite as fast as a small piano.
In fact, 61 keys is the standard for most electronic pianos. As such, they certainly have their place in the music making scene. This is one of the reasons that you will find numerous studious equipped with this piano.
Medium/Large
This is a keyboard that is meant for individuals who are serious about their music. The keyboard has 76 keys, and 6-and-a-half octaves. What’s great about models such as these is that there are just as suitable for beginner players as they are intermediate. Thus, to a certain degree, they will allow the player to grow.
Another benefit is that these keyboards have more advanced features. This includes elements such as touch sensitivity and weighted keys. Now, at a certain point, players who are progressing with their piano player will need to move onto a more advanced option. However, this model works well for those earlier stages.
Large
This is an older version of the modern piano – one that you don’t see very often today. This has 85 keys and seven octaves. The only real difference between these pianos and the standard ones is that there are three less keys. Thus, for the most part, it is a good fit for more experienced players as well.
Nevertheless, you should be aware that there may be limitations if you wish to play music by certain composers. These include Chopin, Debussy, and Liszt. So, for a fuller experience, most players will need to opt for a standard piano.
This is the full story on the number of octaves on a piano. As you can see, there is quite a bit that you need to understand before you learning how many octaves there are on various kinds of pianos. Now that you have this knowledge, though, you will have a far better chance of picking a keyboard that is perfectly suited to your skill level and style of playing.