Piano

Definition

Piano (or p) stands for soft volume.

This table shows how dynamics can be compared to the volume of the human voice.

Dynamics (volume)

Dynamic	Voice
pp	almost at a whisper
p	softer than speaking voice
mp	soft speaking voice
mf	loud speaking voice
f	louder than speaking voice
ff	almost shouting

Examples

Piano (p) is the musical instruction to play soft

Related concepts

• Pianissimo (N5)
• Mezzo piano (N4)
• Mezzo forte (N4)
• Forte (N3)
• Fortissimo (N5)