Is the piano a percussion or string instrument?
To those that think the piano is a string instrument: a xylophone has bars of wood – does that make it a woodwind instrument? Cymbals are made of brass – does that make them brass instruments? No! Just because the piano has strings, it is NOT a string instrument in the way you seem to think. It is a percussion instrument. The strings are struck my hammers. The ‘hitting’ makes it a percussion instrument. It is also a chordophone. Edit for Edik: Good points! I shall muddy the waters even more for daring to mention the ‘keyed Glockenspiel’, so beloved of French composers such as Dukas in his ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ (and, originally, in Mozart’s ‘magic Flute’). Oh lordie, lordie!
