prepared piano

American  

noun

1. a grand piano that has been altered for some modern compositions by having various objects attached to its strings to change the sound and pitch, and performance on which typically involves playing the keys, plucking the strings, slapping the body of the instrument, and slamming the keyboard lid.

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prepared piano British  

noun

1. a piano in which some strings have been damped by having objects placed between them or tuned differently from the rest for specific tonal effect. This process was pioneered by John Cage

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Etymology

Origin of prepared piano

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The prepared piano, albeit without Mr. Muhly, returned in a crucial if less central role for the roughly half-hour “Te Deum,” which on Friday was crisply rendered with entirely Estonian forces led by Mr. Kaljuste.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

It’s called a prepared piano, a concept created by John Cage in the late 1930s.

From The Verge • Nov. 8, 2019

After intermission, in keeping with the night's primary theme of rediscovering America's musical tradition, Scott programmed three excerpts from Adams' 1994 "John's Book of Alleged Dances" for string quartet and pre-recorded prepared piano.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2017

When Voytovich moved to Seattle four years ago, she was only dimly aware of Cage’s 1938-1939 stint at Cornish College of the Arts, where he developed the prepared piano.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 15, 2016

Rather than a guitarist, his accompanist is Sylvie Courvoisier, who plays prepared piano in the tradition of John Cage, reaching in to make the strings moan or chirp like crickets.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2014