The first piano, which was modeled after the harpsichord and clavichord, dates back to the early 18th Century and was dubbed a “gravicembalo col piano e forte," or "harpsichord with soft and loud.” With the piano e forte, its inventor, Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian harpsichord maker, introduced the innovation of a hammer with which to strike the strings, expanding on a player's capability to use multiple fingers to sound simultaneous notes.

The piano e forte did not catch on right away, as many harpsichordists – including J.S. Bach – tried it and found its touch too heavy. Eventually, as the pianoforte was adapted over the century, inventors returned to the principles of Cristofori, its original inventor, to design the stringed keyboard instrument with mechanically operated rebounding hammers that would come to be known as the piano.

The instrument was initially conceived in an attempt to adapt to the increasingly sophisticated needs of harpsichordists as they became more technically proficient. Over time, many combinations of tones, cabinet styles, and touch characteristics were tried and rejected until the most popular features were incorporated, which are still evolving today.

Over the course of the 18th Century, the English, French, and Viennese continued to adapt the characteristics of the piano, each contingent inspiring its avid proponents. While Beethoven championed the English Broadwood piano, Chopin preferred the French Pleyel instruments, and Haydn and Brahms loved the delicacy and crispness of the Viennese.

In the mid-1800s, a German piano maker named Heinrich Steinweg emigrated to New York, giving birth to Steinway and Sons piano company.

The 19th Century also saw a rise in piano masters who studied the technical aspects of piano playing and taught private students but rarely played in public themselves. These included Liszt's famed teacher, the composer, Carl Czerny; and Theodor Leschetizky, who mentored Paderewsky and Schnabel.