Why Do the High Notes Have More Strings than the Lower Notes on My Piano?

Pianos only have 88 keys, but inside your instrument, you’ll find over 200 strings. If you take a closer look, you’ll notice that there are more strings on the right side where the pitch is higher. Why?

Most modern pianos have three strings per note on the top 2/3 of the piano. The lower 1/3 has a section of two strings per note, and the lowest section of your piano has only one string per note. This arrangement is based on a lot of acoustics and physics of sound.

I like to equate the basic string configuration of a piano to the string section of a symphony orchestra. The string section of a standard symphony orchestra usually has approximately 10 first violins, 10 second violins, 10 violas, eight cellos, and six double basses. That’s 44 instruments using 176 strings in total. Violins and violas represent the largest section of the string orchestra and the highest strings. Compare this to the top 2/3 of your piano. Continuing with the comparison to the orchestra, cellos would correspond to the piano section with two strings, and double basses represent the section with a single string per note. 

This orchestral setup is intentional. High-pitched violins and violas balance the sound of the lower, more powerful cellos and basses. In your piano, the higher notes have multiple strings so that their sound is as strong and vibrant as the lower notes. The longer, larger strings are able to produce a louder sound. Any number of bass strings would easily overpower an equal number of high (treble) strings.  

Next time you play your piano, you can imagine you’re conducting your own personal orchestra!