2006-09-02 03:51:12 · 13 answers · asked by Dundee F 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
They used to be made of ivory, but that's illegal, now. Old pianos still have their ivory keys.
I think they have developed a plastic that looks more like ivory.
It's illegal to import/export ivory because of the slaughter of the elephants in Africa by poachers.
2006-09-02 03:52:41 · answer #1 · answered by Nosy Parker 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The slang for playing the piano was once "tickling the ivories". So I would say a good piano has ivory keys but like the above answers inferred, modern day pianos are often fitted with plastic keys instead to keep down the price..
2006-09-02 11:07:43 · answer #2 · answered by Stratobratster 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ivory was banned years and years ago. The white keys and black keys are made of plastics.
You might find a really old piano with ivory white keys. But they were laminated. The black keys were made of ebony.
2006-09-02 10:55:31 · answer #3 · answered by Thom Thumb 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
White piano keys were once made from ivory... but these days due to animal rights and endagered species regulations they are now made from beechwood and are fashioned in a way so that they can be painted white then laminated to look the same way.
2006-09-02 10:55:18 · answer #4 · answered by Mintjulip 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They used to be made of ivory, but hunting elephants is illegal...so some pianos white keys are made of plastic....hmmm
2006-09-02 10:53:36 · answer #5 · answered by Megan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ivory from an elephants tusks
2006-09-02 10:53:35 · answer #6 · answered by michelegokey2002 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
new ones are plastic , the old ones are ivory
2006-09-02 16:44:33 · answer #7 · answered by Brian 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chiclets.
2006-09-02 10:52:51 · answer #8 · answered by S K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
used to be ivory. probably some cheap plasticy compound now.
2006-09-02 10:57:03 · answer #9 · answered by artmnyn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
plastic or ivory
2006-09-02 10:52:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋