The piano is considered by many to be the most versatile of the instruments. The piano is a mixture of both the string and percussion families of instruments. It has more strings than any orchestral instrument but they are struck by hammers, moving it toward the percussive family. Using both hands on the keys allows the musician to play harmonically, creating their own accompaniment. All types of music are played on the piano; classical, folk, religious, pop, jazz, and even orchestral or ensemble reductions. Well suited for solo playing, duets, ensemble playing and even in the accompaniment role, the piano adapts itself to a plethora of different uses.
The piano is likely the strongest instrument from a theoretical perspective, as Western music theory and tonalities are based on the keyboard. With the development of tempered tuning from the Baroque era, the piano is now able to play equally well in any key.
