Inside the Grand Piano Action!

How Your Piano Works!

(Inside the Grand Piano Action)

The grand piano action is a remarkable mechanism that transforms your energy and motion into music. It does this through thousands of finely tuned parts, all working in perfect harmony to produce sound.

At the heart of the grand action is the wippen assembly, which engages the hammer assembly and drives the hammer upward toward the string. Just like in an upright piano, the hammer never strikes the string with full force contact—instead, it disengages just before hitting it. This precise release is called the escapement, and it's controlled by a component known as the jack.

However, unlike the upright piano, which has a single escapement mechanism, the grand piano features a double escapement system. This design, which includes both the jack and the repetition lever (also part of the wippen), allows the hammer to reset more quickly, even if the key hasn't fully returned to its original position. The result? You can repeat notes much faster and with greater control than on an upright.

This is part of what gives the grand piano its incredible responsiveness and dynamic range—making it a favorite for concert pianists and serious musicians around the world.

We hope this is helpful for you!  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at ArtisanPianos.com