Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
FULL ARTICLE: livingpianos.com/videos/why-the-hickman-piano-action-disappeared
Explore the lost history of the piano action mechanism and why traditional designs have dominated for over a century. See how a radical 1920s invention attempted to simplify the instrument.
This video examines the Clarence and Hickman design, which proposed using a folding toggle linkage to transfer force from the key to the hammer. By reducing the number of moving parts, this mechanism aimed to simplify piano regulation and maintenance. Whether you are a technician, a student of instrument history, or simply curious about how piano works, this analysis highlights the engineering challenges of creating a more efficient action.
We examine why the industry stuck with traditional methods despite the potential benefits of this alternative approach. You will learn the specific mechanical advantages this design offered and where it ultimately fell short in the broader context of piano repair and manufacturing standards.
Subscribe for weekly technical breakdowns of piano engineering, and comment below if you have ever encountered unusual action designs in vintage instruments.
0:00 A Radical Rethink of Piano Mechanics
2:09 How Traditional Grand Actions Work
3:43 Who Was Clarence Hickman?
6:52 The Advantages
8:45 The Trade-offs
10:00 Why the Innovation Never Took Root
11:39 Why The Old Design Won
12:42 The Bigger Lesson
FULL ARTICLE: livingpianos.com/videos/why-the-hickman-piano-action-disappeared
Explore the lost history of the piano action mechanism and why traditional designs have dominated for over a century. See how a radical 1920s invention attempted to simplify the instrument.
This video examines the Clarence and Hickman design, which proposed using a folding toggle linkage to transfer force from the key to the hammer. By reducing the number of moving parts, this mechanism aimed to simplify piano regulation and maintenance. Whether you are a technician, a student of instrument history, or simply curious about how piano works, this analysis highlights the engineering challenges of creating a more efficient action.
We examine why the industry stuck with traditional methods despite the potential benefits of this alternative approach. You will learn the specific mechanical advantages this design offered and where it ultimately fell short in the broader context of piano repair and manufacturing standards.
Subscribe for weekly technical breakdowns of piano engineering, and comment below if you have ever encountered unusual action designs in vintage instruments.
0:00 A Radical Rethink of Piano Mechanics
2:09 How Traditional Grand Actions Work
3:43 Who Was Clarence Hickman?
6:52 The Advantages
8:45 The Trade-offs
10:00 Why the Innovation Never Took Root
11:39 Why The Old Design Won
12:42 The Bigger Lesson
