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Piano vs Drum - What's the difference?

piano | drum |

As nouns the difference between piano and drum

is that piano is piano while drum is a percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber, affecting what materials are used to make it.

As a verb drum is

to beat a drum.

piano

English

(wikipedia piano)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (musical instruments) A keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
    • The piano in his house takes up a lot of space.
    She has been taking lessons for many years and now plays piano very well.
    He can play "Happy Birthday" on the piano .
    Most of the works by Frédéric Chopin are for the piano .

    Synonyms

    * pianoforte (dated)

    Coordinate terms

    * (keyboard instrument) cembalo, clavier, fortepiano, harpsichord, organ, synthesizer, synth

    Derived terms

    * dumb piano * electric piano * grand piano * pianola * pianist * piano accordion * piano player * player piano * square piano * upright piano

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (music) Soft, quiet.
  • In extended use; quiet, subdued.
  • * 1977 , , The Honourable Schoolboy , Folio Society 2010, p. 160:
    • ‘Tradecraft'', Chris,’ Enderby put in, who liked his bit of jargon, and Martindale, still ''piano , shot him a glance of admiration.

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (music) Softly, as a musical direction (abbreviated to p. in sheet music).

    • Related terms

    * mezzo piano * mp * pianissimo * pp

    drum

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber, affecting what materials are used to make it.
  • Any similar hollow, cylindrical object.
  • In particular, a barrel or large cylindrical container for liquid transport and storage.
    • The restaurant ordered ketchup in 50-gallon drums .
  • A social gathering or assembly held in the evening.
  • * 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, page 631:
    • Another misfortune which befel poor Sophia, was the company of Lord Fellamar, whom she met at the opera, and who attended her to the drum .
  • (architecture) The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola
  • (architecture) Any of the cylindrical blocks that make up the shaft of a pillar
  • A drumfish.
  • (slang, UK) A person's home.
  • A tip, a piece of information.
  • * 1985 , (Peter Carey), Illywhacker , Faber and Faber 2003, page 258:
    • ‘he is the darndest little speaker we got, so better sit there and listen to him while he gives you the drum and if you clean out your earholes you might get a bit of sense into your heads.’

    Derived terms

    * bass drum * drum and bass * drum beat * drum brake * drum kit * drummer * drum roll * drumstick * drum stick * hand drum * kettledrum * snare drum * tenor drum

    See also

    * percussion

    Verb

    (drumm)
  • To beat a drum.
  • (ambitransitive) To beat with a rapid succession of strokes.
    • The ruffed grouse drums with his wings.
  • * Washington Irving
    • drumming with his fingers on the arm of his chair
  • To drill or review in an attempt to establish memorization.
    • He’s still trying to drum Spanish verb conjugations into my head.
  • To throb, as the heart.
    • (Dryden)
  • To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc.; used with for .

    • Derived terms

    * drummer