An upright or vertical piano selectively playable in a normal mode and in a soft mode comprises: a set of multiple piano keys; a set of multiple piano actions associated with said multiple piano keys, each said piano action including a piano wippen assembly actuated by depression of a corresponding said piano key; a set of multiple piano hammers, each said piano hammer mounted for rotating movement and defining a forward throw direction toward at least one corresponding piano string, each said piano hammer being driven by a corresponding said piano wippen assembly to transfer force applied to an associated said piano key; and a soft pedal system comprising: a soft pedal, a hammer rest rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers disposed at rest at a spaced distance from corresponding piano strings, and a soft mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers moved into at rest positions relatively closer to the corresponding said piano strings, a piano key lift rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position spaced from lifting contact with piano keys of said set of multiple piano keys and a soft mode position disposed in contact with and lifting rear segments of said piano keys along with said piano wippen assemblies and causing fronts of the keys to move downwards, and a soft pedal linkage assembly in communication between said soft pedal and said hammer rest rail and said piano key lift rail, wherein actuation of said soft pedal causes movement of said hammer rest rail, along with said piano hammers, and causes movement of said piano keys, along with said piano wippen assemblies, between the normal mode position and the soft mode position, in gap-closing motion; and a set of multiple bridle strap and bridle wire combinations, each said bridle strap and bridle wire combination connecting a respective of said piano hammers to a corresponding said piano wippen assembly, wherein said bridle strap and said bridle wire combination are mounted and adjusted to maintain a hammer assembly and said corresponding wippen assembly together in gap-minimizing motion when an associated said piano key is played in normal mode. a set of multiple piano keys; a set of multiple piano actions associated with said multiple piano keys, each said piano action including a piano wippen assembly actuated by depression of a corresponding said piano key; a set of multiple piano hammers, each said piano hammer mounted for rotating movement and defining a forward throw direction toward at least one corresponding piano string, each said piano hammer being driven by a corresponding said piano wippen assembly to transfer force applied to an associated said piano key; and a soft pedal system comprising: a soft pedal, a hammer rest rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers disposed at rest at a spaced distance from corresponding piano strings, and a soft mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers moved into at rest positions relatively closer to the corresponding said piano strings, a piano key lift rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position spaced from lifting contact with piano keys of said set of multiple piano keys and a soft mode position disposed in contact with and lifting rear segments of said piano keys along with said piano wippen assemblies and causing fronts of the keys to move downwards, and a soft pedal linkage assembly in communication between said soft pedal and said hammer rest rail and said piano key lift rail, wherein actuation of said soft pedal causes movement of said hammer rest rail, along with said piano hammers, and causes movement of said piano keys, along with said piano wippen assemblies, between the normal mode position and the soft mode position, in gap-closing motion; and a soft pedal, a hammer rest rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers disposed at rest at a spaced distance from corresponding piano strings, and a soft mode position with said set of multiple piano hammers moved into at rest positions relatively closer to the corresponding said piano strings, a piano key lift rail mounted for movement between a normal mode position spaced from lifting contact with piano keys of said set of multiple piano keys and a soft mode position disposed in contact with and lifting rear segments of said piano keys along with said piano wippen assemblies and causing fronts of the keys to move downwards, and a soft pedal linkage assembly in communication between said soft pedal and said hammer rest rail and said piano key lift rail, wherein actuation of said soft pedal causes movement of said hammer rest rail, along with said piano hammers, and causes movement of said piano keys, along with said piano wippen assemblies, between the normal mode position and the soft mode position, in gap-closing motion; and a set of multiple bridle strap and bridle wire combinations, each said bridle strap and bridle wire combination connecting a respective of said piano hammers to a corresponding said piano wippen assembly, wherein said bridle strap and said bridle wire combination are mounted and adjusted to maintain a hammer assembly and said corresponding wippen assembly together in gap-minimizing motion when an associated said piano key is played in normal mode.