The $5 Piano

This wasn't posted online, so here's the story in its entirety. Thanks to John for passing it along.



By Marc Davis

Virginian Pilot



This is a significant detail. Almost every song ever written eventually wanders past, or through, middle C. It is right in the middle of the keyboard. It is the first key every beginner plays because it is the start of the very first do-re-mi scale, in C-major.

Avoiding middle C is not easy. To do so, David plays many songs one octave higher or lower. That's OK. David, who is 15, is teaching himself to play the piano, and one octave is as good as the next. The second most important thing to know about the piano in David Villa's living room is this: It…