action
Planted Jul 2026 Tended 1 month ago Linked from 1 note
Contents
piano action or hammer action is the mechanism in acoustic piano (or simulated in digital piano) that translates your finger pressing a key into a hammer strike on a string.
mechanism
- levers
- hammers
- springs
- dampers
key is pressed (lever lifts) –> hammer rises –> hammer strikes string(s) –> damper lifts off the strings
grand actions
grand actions sit horizontally (from below) and use gravity to reset the hammer.
it uses double escapement: allows repeating a note before fully releasing the key.
upright actions
upright actions sit vertically and rely on springs to return the hammer to its resting position.
it uses a single escapement: key needs to rise further before the action resets