Tack piano facts for kids
A tack piano is a special kind of piano. It's also called a harpsipiano, jangle piano, or junk piano. To make a tack piano, small items like thumbtacks or nails are put onto the soft, felt parts of the piano's hammers. These hammers usually hit the strings to make sound. With the tacks, the piano gets a different sound. It sounds more metallic and sharp, almost like a drum. This sound helps create the feeling of an old-fashioned honky-tonk piano.
Tack pianos are often heard in ragtime music. You might also see them in old Hollywood Western movies. They are usually in scenes set in a saloon, played on an old upright piano. Long ago, this instrument was sometimes used in classical music concerts. It could stand in for a harpsichord, which has a similar sharp sound.
What is a Honky-Tonk Piano?
A honky-tonk piano sounds a lot like a tack piano. But it gets its sound in a different way. Instead of adding tacks, one or more strings for each key are made slightly out of tune. This small change makes the sound "beat" or wave a little. It's similar to how some organ stops create a wavy sound.
