Don't know why you got down-voted. I thought the same thing when I first read it. "Isn't that a good thing...?"

Concert pianist here: piano is indeed a percussion instrument and anyone down voting you is an idiot.

Technically because the hammers strike the strings inside the piano, it could be considered a percussion instrument. But because the pianist doesn't strike the keys with a hammer, and because electronic keyboards don't have hammers at all, piano is usually classified as its own thing separate from percussion.

I was under the impression a piano is a string instrument.

Nope, it's classified as a percussion instrument. The harpsichord, which looks like a piano, that's a string instrument since it's strings are plucked.

I was about to say the same thing

MathMajor, there is a direct mechanical connection between a pianist's finger and the string the hammer strikes. It's one of the reasons piano is such a versatile and difficult instrument to master. Verily, one never truly masters it.

#14, that's what I thought too. Then my elementary school music teacher turned it into a learning experience by having all of us gather around her piano to watch the hammers work.

I came to say the same thing. If she's been bad she wouldn't have gotten any part, but a lot of people play piano, and if one was better, this is what I'd expect.

Uhh... What?

What he's trying to describe is the various mallet instruments included in percussion. Xylophone, vibraphone, bells, and marimba have the same "keyboard" layout as a piano except that you use mallets instead of your fingers.

I'm with you, #13. I was totally confused when I read the same comment. I'm glad it's not just me.

Any instrument that you play by striking it with something. So drums, the triangle, xylophone, bells, and the tambourine are examples.

A percussion is a musical instrument played by striking something, like drums, xylophone, cymbals, etc.

Also pianos. Just figured I'd point that out.