The Expanded Toy Piano
The Expanded Toy Piano is a project by Connor which aims to widen the range of the toy piano sound world. Although viewed as childish or noisy, the toy piano has garnered increased interest in classical music composition in the 21st Century. Inspired by Phyllis Chen’s work Chimers, Connor has modified several Schoenhut toy pianos to create a multi-piano instrument which can produce pitches across 9 octaves.
The term Expanded Toy Piano is not trademarked or widespread; it is instead a simple expression to identify or explain a toy piano that plays notes outside of the standard range of the instrument, typically as wide as C3-F6 in scientific pitch. This instrument was intended to serve as an experiment and explore the extremes of changing the interior rods of a toy piano while maintaining the instrument’s characteristic charm.
In carrying out this project, Connor composed a piece for the Expanded Toy Piano: Watching the Sea. In addition, Connor has written about his experience with the project. There are other composers who have created their own versions of an “Expanded Toy Piano,” thus the sound world beyond the commercial toy piano is now something to discover.
The term Expanded Toy Piano is not trademarked or widespread; it is instead a simple expression to identify or explain a toy piano that plays notes outside of the standard range of the instrument, typically as wide as C3-F6 in scientific pitch. This instrument was intended to serve as an experiment and explore the extremes of changing the interior rods of a toy piano while maintaining the instrument’s characteristic charm.
In carrying out this project, Connor composed a piece for the Expanded Toy Piano: Watching the Sea. In addition, Connor has written about his experience with the project. There are other composers who have created their own versions of an “Expanded Toy Piano,” thus the sound world beyond the commercial toy piano is now something to discover.