Aimed at everyone with an interest in pianos, amateurs and professionals alike, this is a thorough but highly readable technical guide to the world's most influential musical instrument. Most people, even competent pianists, have no idea how a piano works, yet understanding a piano's truly remarkable technology can greatly increase the pleasure of owning and playing one. Even though the most humble upright has thousands of working parts, this innovative manual explains how straightforward it can be to maintain and improve a piano's performance.