Wang Kailuo relates how to make the piano by hand. Yu Hairong
A HOME-MADE piano will be donated to the Shenzhen Museum by Wang Kailuo who spent seven years making it, yesterday’s Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
“This piano can help record some life memories of us ordinary residents during China’s reform and opening-up drive. I will donate it, along with the blueprint, to the Shenzhen Museum to preserve that part of history,” Wang, 65, said.
Wang, a mechanic from Jiangsu Province, made his standard piano with 88 keys by hand and the instrument was finished in 1981.
“Although the bass keys of the piano are not good enough, the high and median registers are excellent,” an expert said after trying the piano.
“The piano changed my family’s life. My three daughters learned music on it and have found their jobs and positions in Shenzhen because of music,” Wang said.
“I have loved music since I was young and hoped my daughters could learn music. At that time, a Nie’er brand piano made in Shanghai cost 1,200 yuan (US$171) and my family income was only 60 yuan. In order to realize the dream, I decided to build a piano myself,” Wang said.
“I made a piano with 60 keys at first, which took a year, and decided to make a standard one a year later when the small one could not meet my daughters’ needs in learning,” he said.
“With just one book about making piano, I went to check every part of the piano in my friend’s school every day and finally drew the blueprint.
“Finding the right materials, including good timber, was a big challenge for me at that time as everything was in short supply. I used lots of my relations to get wood coupons for buying timber,” he said.
“The back of the piano was made from base plate. The hammer pillows and damper felts were made from woolen blankets. I also used shoelaces to make the belts to connect the hammers,” he said.
Wang also carefully ground a total of 8,000 wooden parts for the string hammers, one of the most important parts of a piano. (Wang Yuanyuan)
A HOME-MADE piano will be donated to the Shenzhen Museum by Wang Kailuo who spent seven years making it, yesterday’s Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
“This piano can help record some life memories of us ordinary residents during China’s reform and opening-up drive. I will donate it, along with the blueprint, to the Shenzhen Museum to preserve that part of history,” Wang, 65, said.
Wang, a mechanic from Jiangsu Province, made his standard piano with 88 keys by hand and the instrument was finished in 1981.
“Although the bass keys of the piano are not good enough, the high and median registers are excellent,” an expert said after trying the piano.
“The piano changed my family’s life. My three daughters learned music on it and have found their jobs and positions in Shenzhen because of music,” Wang said.
“I have loved music since I was young and hoped my daughters could learn music. At that time, a Nie’er brand piano made in Shanghai cost 1,200 yuan (US$171) and my family income was only 60 yuan. In order to realize the dream, I decided to build a piano myself,” Wang said.
“I made a piano with 60 keys at first, which took a year, and decided to make a standard one a year later when the small one could not meet my daughters’ needs in learning,” he said.
“With just one book about making piano, I went to check every part of the piano in my friend’s school every day and finally drew the blueprint.
“Finding the right materials, including good timber, was a big challenge for me at that time as everything was in short supply. I used lots of my relations to get wood coupons for buying timber,” he said.
“The back of the piano was made from base plate. The hammer pillows and damper felts were made from woolen blankets. I also used shoelaces to make the belts to connect the hammers,” he said.
Wang also carefully ground a total of 8,000 wooden parts for the string hammers, one of the most important parts of a piano. (Wang Yuanyuan)
A HOME-MADE piano will be donated to the Shenzhen Museum by Wang Kailuo who spent seven years making it, yesterday’s Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
“This piano can help record some life memories of us ordinary residents during China’s reform and opening-up drive. I will donate it, along with the blueprint, to the Shenzhen Museum to preserve that part of history,” Wang, 65, said.
Wang, a mechanic from Jiangsu Province, made his standard piano with 88 keys by hand and the instrument was finished in 1981.
“Although the bass keys of the piano are not good enough, the high and median registers are excellent,” an expert said after trying the piano.
“The piano changed my family’s life. My three daughters learned music on it and have found their jobs and positions in Shenzhen because of music,” Wang said.
“I have loved music since I was young and hoped my daughters could learn music. At that time, a Nie’er brand piano made in Shanghai cost 1,200 yuan (US$171) and my family income was only 60 yuan. In order to realize the dream, I decided to build a piano myself,” Wang said.
“I made a piano with 60 keys at first, which took a year, and decided to make a standard one a year later when the small one could not meet my daughters’ needs in learning,” he said.
“With just one book about making piano, I went to check every part of the piano in my friend’s school every day and finally drew the blueprint.
“Finding the right materials, including good timber, was a big challenge for me at that time as everything was in short supply. I used lots of my relations to get wood coupons for buying timber,” he said.
“The back of the piano was made from base plate. The hammer pillows and damper felts were made from woolen blankets. I also used shoelaces to make the belts to connect the hammers,” he said.
Wang also carefully ground a total of 8,000 wooden parts for the string hammers, one of the most important parts of a piano. (Wang Yuanyuan)