The inventor of the first actual piano was Bartolomeo Cristofori in the early 1700s. Thanks, Bart!

The piano was initially called the Pianoforte. Why? Because, unlike it's predecessor, the harpsichord, you could play it softly OR loudly; piano or forte! A harpsichord only has one volume.

When talking to a learned musician, you may hear the word "enharmonic". Enharmonic refers to the fact that any note, key signature, or interval can have more than one name. For example, you probably already know that an F# is the same pitch as a Gb!

Tempo is an important component to the music you play. The tempo or speed at which you play a song influences it's musical effect. In classical, the tempo will usually be set out for you, although you usually have some degree of flexibility for artistic interpretation. In jazz and popular music, you and any other musicians you play with will have much greater ability and responsibility to direct the tempo.