The piano was originally called the 'pianoforte' because it was the first keyboard to play both soft and loud notes.

Bartolomeo Cristofori, a master instrument maker employed by the Medici family in Florence, Italy, is credited with inventing the piano around the year 1700. Before his invention, keyboard players primarily used the harpsichord or the clavichord. The harpsichord used a plectrum to pluck strings, which meant the volume remained constant regardless of how hard the keys were pressed.Cristofori’s breakthrough was the 'scappamento' or escapement mechanism. This allowed a leather-covered hammer to strike a string and then immediately drop away, letting the string vibrate freely. Because the hammers were controlled by the force of the player's fingers, musicians could finally achieve dynamic expression through touch alone.The first recorded mention of the instrument appears in an inventory of the Medici family's musical instruments from 1700. It was listed as a 'arpicimbalo,' though Cristofori later used the term 'gravicembalo col piano e forte.' This literally translates to 'harpsichord with soft and loud,' highlighting the revolutionary volume control that defined the instrument.By the late 18th century, the design had evolved significantly, but the core mechanics remained the same. The name was eventually shortened to 'pianoforte' and then simply 'piano' as it became the dominant keyboard instrument in Europe. Today, only three original Cristofori pianos survive, with the oldest dating back to 1720, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.