Journal Nomenclature

Journal Nomenclature

Many terms the field of piano technology have multiple variations, including differences in spelling, whether the term is written as one word or two (or hyphenated), or even completely different words for the same item. The following list provides the nomenclature the Journal staff prefer; while multiple versions of a term may be accurate, we like to keep it consistent. If you have questions about which term you should use or how to format it, check this list.

Nomenclature Table

A

Aftertouch

a.m. (not AM, am, etc.)

B

Back action (Damper underlever system preferred)

Back post

Back rail

Back scale

Backcheck

Back rail cloth

Balance rail

Balance rail punching

Beats per second (abbreviate BPS)

Belly rail

Bellyman strip

Birdcage piano

Bird's eye

Bottom board

Bridge pin

Bridle strap (not bridal)

Bridle tape

Buckskin

Butt plate

C

Capo d'astro bar

Casters (not castors)

Center pin

Cheekblock

Counterbearing

D

Damper block

Damper flange

Damper guide rail

Damper head

Damper lever

Damper wire

Downbearing

Downweight

E

Endblock

End post

F

Fallboard

Fallstrip

G

Glide bolt

H

Half-blow rest rail

Hammer rail

Hammer shank

Hitch pin

J

Jack flange

Jack stop felt

Jack stop rail

K

Keybed

Keyblock

Key button

Key cover

Key dip

Key front

Keyframe

Key lead

Key pin

Keyslip

Keytop

Keystick

Key stop rail

Keystroke

Kneeboard

L

Letoff

Lockbar

M

Moulding (not molding)

Music desk (not rack)

N

Nameboard

Nameboard felt

Nose bolt 

O

Overdamper

Overstringing

Overstrung

P

Pick up finger

Pitman

Pressure bar

Pinblock

p.m. (not PM, pm, etc.)

Pully key (not pulley)

S

Screw-stringer

Semitone

Sidebearing

Soundboard

T

Toe block

Touchweight

Toplid

Topslip

Trap spring

Trapwork

U

Una corda

Underdamper

Underlever

Upstop rail

Upweight

V

V-bar

W

Wippen (not whippen)

Wrestpins

Wrest plank (two words, pinblock preferred)