One out of 20 people play piano in this country. A quarter million NEW pianos are bought every year in the U.S. and nearly one million OLD pianos are sold. The piano is the most universal instrument. The piano dominates the music world. An entire symphony orchestra can be represented on the piano's 88 keys.
Most music is composed at the keyboard and then transferred to other instruments.
The range of the piano extends lower than the bottom 16 foot pedal note of an organ and higher than the top note of a piccolo. The piano is totally complete and needs no assistance from any other instruments, but almost all instruments in solo need the piano for accompaniment including singers. Choirs practice with the piano and so do dancers. The piano is education, fun, therapy. It is a hobby, an avocation, or a full-time business.