Numerical analysis of the 48-key experimental piano

An experimental piano has been built as a part of research program for students in the 4th grade. Though the main purpose of the building was to use the piano in vibrational and acoustical experiments, it was also intended to deepen the understanding of the structures of a piano by newly designing and building a piano that was different from existing pianos. The range covered by the piano is 4 oct (key nos. 21–68). After the sizes and arrangements of the strings were determined, the metal frame that sustains the tension of the strings was designed. The deformation and the stress were evaluated by the FEM. In this paper, the design and results of numerical analysis of the strings and soundboard are reported.