Building a Piano from Scratch (with no experience)

Sca-Taylor Shirts: store.dftba.com/products/copy...
Building a piano in a day. How hard could it be?
The piano’s debut single “Chomp!”
on Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/1Gvi14...
and just about everywhere else music is.
Simon's woodworking business on Instagram: / taylorcustomwoodprojects
Other fine Sca-Taylor handcrafted instruments:
The Shark 1 guitar: • Building an Electric G...
The Beast Drum Kit: • Building a Drum Set fr...
Simon has made other cameos on this channel before and wasn't so lucky...
Iron Maiden - The Trooper (Banjo cover w/ solos): • Iron Maiden - The Troo...
Prison Break (ft. Sarah Longfield): • Prison Break (ft. Sara...
My guitar courses are available within the Guitareo membership :)
www.guitareo.com
Also, my beginner course, GuitarQuest, is still available on it's own too
www.guitareo.com/guitar-quest
The gear that I use: imp.i114863.net/yRLxmG
Win $1000s in FREE Gear at Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/7mxBM5
Sweetwater’s deals page: imp.i114863.net/qnNGyg
The channel is supported in part by Sweetwater’s affiliate program. Thanks for that!
Commentary, song stems, and early access to videos when you super-subscribe on Patreon: / robscallon
Mixed by Rob Ruccia of Uptown Recording: www.uptownrecording.com/
Assistant editor Amanda Sellers: / heysellers
Video shot & edited by Jake Jarvi: / pineappleboyfilms
Assistant editing by Amanda Sellers
This video was made possible because of Patreon support from Rob Harper, Hypergnome, Fabio, Ben Swan, Isaac Briefer, ricin, rd1994, Sheldon Bird, Yaroslav Yermilov, Jack Cahillane, Denis Lachapelle, Kevin Harris, Jonathan Olejniczak, Fuad Ghazali, and many other awesome people on my Patreon page: / robscallon
Big videos go on this channel. Everything and anything else is on the 2nd: / robscallon2
Also...
Vinyls/Merch: store.dftba.com/collections/ro...
Instagram: / robscallon
TikTok: / robscallon
Facebook:
Twitter: tinyurl.com/twitter78

[@robscallon]

Thanks for 15 years on KZbin :)

[@ItsSauIGoodman]

No. Thank you.

[@joshuapjung]

Rob, love your channel. Also I miss Chicago area, despite the awful weather. Love that you are having so much fun.

[@ZethKeeper]

Keep going, Rob. Thank you for your videos!

[@stevelinbergbaby135]

thank you👍💨

[@CARDINALSRATS]

Your welcome rob

[@Whooooooops]

I can't wait for the Sca-Taylor bass with barbed wire strings. Just feels like the natural progression of the company.

[@PhillipRaymondGoodman]

Simon the magpie did that, well he didn't build the bass but put barbed wire on it

[@duncan-rmi]

barbsichord

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

The Sca-Taylor theremin: it electrocutes you.

[@PhillipRaymondGoodman]

I saw this come up with and I thought OMG they've made a theremin too! Amazing, sad it's only a comment

[@TheBigburcie]

Some basses are fretless. Sca-Taylor makes a bass that's all frets

[@chandlermiller3944]

I love that mid-way through the build is when rob decided to take a look at an actual piano for reference. not in the planning phase because that would make too much sense. This is amazing

[@waylong25]

@Carlose ® 🤍 They said "I love NBA Loo" 😂

[@oldretireddude]

Very interesting. A suggestion, because your pipe at the back of the "piano" is angled I would think the strings would roll down hill, if you will, as they are tightened which negates your tuning effort. You need to file a groove into the pipe to trap each string at its location.

[@TheDarkMessiah]

Yea I was thinking about something like that, but it also seems like cutting grooves/nut slots in a metal pipe would lead to the strings breaking all the time due to their vibration creating a sawing effect against the sharp metal.

[@oldretireddude]

@@TheDarkMessiah OK, drill and tap some holes at each string location. Then thread some nylon screws in place with either a spade style screwdriver feature or file a groove in the nylon.

[@ZorinZato]

This is the kind of wisdom I expect from someone named, “oldretireddude”

[@EagleScout2019]

Clearly Sca-Taylor Guitars knows what they’re doing

[@JoaoVictor-ic3ht]

I love the way Simon's family support the Sca-Taylor project

[@JedrekVRoscoe]

Supports, or just let’s it happen?

[@garmen-]

@@JedrekVRoscoe what’s the difference really

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@JedrekVRoscoe The ambiguity is what makes a family a family.

[@marialiyubman]

Scataylor and sons.. or… SCATAYLOR AND PARENTS!!!

[@KeepTheGates]

Yeah, it sucks that this video didn't do too well and they likely won't make another one together.

[@chrismegusta]

Next first of October album should be recorded exclusively using Sca-Taylor instruments.

[@itscorvid358]

All they need is a bass, then they have all the instruments needed to record a whole album

[@fisheatsyourhead]

@@itscorvid358 ScaTaylor need to start making amps and mics for the full setup

[@soejrd24978]

Nah that's a different thing

[@TuckRob]

@@fisheatsyourhead I'd be watching through my fingers if this method of working included electricity.

[@nickspencer2207]

@@fisheatsyourhead They would blow up the amp 💀

[@TheSpiffyNeoStar]

Fun fact, this is technically a zither, because of the doorstops as hammers. Still super cool

[@micp4130]

I was thinking a marxophone, but I guess it's a type of zither

[@timothywhieldon1971]

more of a Dulcimer than a zither...

[@TheSpiffyNeoStar]

@@timothywhieldon1971 my understanding is that if you want to get super technical hammered dulcimer are a type of zither. Zithers other than hammered dulcimers that I have seen typically have a striker on a spring.

[@matthewbertrand4139]

@@timothywhieldon1971 you just said "more like a zither than it is a zither, innit?" a dulcimer is a type of zither ya walnut

[@Z-Ack]

So percussion or stringed or wood? Yes...

[@thesecondislander]

Kudos to the editor for cutting down 9 HOURS of footage into a really condensed, entertaining half hour.

[@DrawBoySeanie]

I love how you just hear Rob say things like "Piano" and"High quality broom" in between power tool sounds

[@DHGHWS]

I will say, when played like how you did...it sounded pretty decent. Honestly causes a sense of uneasiness which for it being a monster piano is perfect.

[@caleavenant6015]

the makers of an instrument saying "You gotta be careful" when playing it, shows the expert craftsmanship

[@johnnygrind77]

These "building instruments from scratch" videos are starting to become my favorite Scallon Segments.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Where can I order one?

[@iamsushi1056]

You have to sign a waiver saying you won’t sue if you spoke yourself or if it randomly breaks

[@alicec1533]

The problem with murder pianos (planimusicas homicidus) is that they are such rare creatures. Science does not yet know how or if they reproduce. Only one is currently confirmed to exist (though some have been spotted in the wild), and the legality of buying and selling them as pets is in question. As such, your best option is to go to your scariest local forest, at midnight, where sightings in the wild are considered more likely. Hope this helps!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

You don't choose to order it. It shows up behind you at night and then you can't get rid of it.

[@wendel5868]

Just get an Apprehension Engine. Its cooler.

[@NaughtyPrincessfkhandles]

At your local IKEA, but you have to build it yourself.

[@MisterTingles]

sing us a song, you're the guy-with-foolhardy-impulses-to-try-and-build-your-own-instruments-in-a-day-and-a-friend-who-has-woodworking-tools man. sing us a song tonight.

[@nathanmaxwell1195]

We're all in the mood for a melody

[@hexywesky]

*Dio voice* Play me a song on Sca-Taylor Do it all wrong, you're the bringer of evil The devil is never a maker the instruments made by Sca-Taylor

[@TheVampireCabin]

Sca-Taylor Guitars is getting really into the avant garde/experimental music world. Amazing!

[@carloscifuentes5656]

I love how positive Rob is and how supportive his friend is of all the insane things he comes up with

[@user-hc5th3oo3h]

I love how he tries to understand the piano in the way that it has to work the same as a guitar, which is totally not the same lol, I love it

[@MojoStrummer]

I mean the principal of strings making a box vibrate is correct, but that's about where it ends lol

[@Cristofre]

yeah, I noticed that specifically in how he made 'head stocks" for all the tuners LOL . He could have just put them all in a line and saved a lot of work ( and it would stay in tune better)

[@DaP84]

@@Cristofre he didn't put them there because he had the idea to make headstocks. Just was only logical place to put them without modifying the piano further

[@jeff95ta83]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You can never own too many clamps. If you run out of room on your pegboard from all the clamps, that means you need more pegboard.

[@thepoofster2251]

Most true statement on youtube

[@Dropaprayer]

F = X + 1 Where F is the number of clamps you need, and X is the number of clamps you have.

[@want-diversecontent3887]

@@Dropaprayer As said by someone who bought a tungsten cube: "Did you just justify my -cube- clamp addiction with an inductive proof?"

[@zacknight7640]

@@Dropaprayer​​⁠I get what you were trying to say but in your equation X = F - 1 so if F represents the amount you have then X = F + 1 I’ll show myself out

[@moydamer]

As they started tightening the strings, I started getting really nervous that the whole thing would violently tear itself apart. Even though they showed the finished instrument at the beginning of the video.

[@jwjarro73]

Sca-Taylor never fails to disappoint with their cutting-edge instruments

[@Emberesque]

An album will totally be made exclusively with these instruments, I already know it.

[@rus0004]

"Making an album in one hour using dangerous home-made instruments... without hearing it

[@taracampbell2433]

Metal album. It will sell. 110%

[@FailureToBe]

Sca-Taylor is objectively the best instrument brand

[@brianwendt2520]

I love these trainwrecks, but I would love to see an honest second attempt at making a guitar

[@Phil_the_Fedora_Musician]

I actually think the guitar is the best out of the three, especially with the newer work that has been done to it. It can actually stay in tune, if they re-fret it it can be a down-to-earth normal guitar, with a lot of spikes of course 😆

[@tenJajcus]

The problem is: doing it correctly would require much more time than is allotted for those videos. Rob has some other activities to do and, probably, a life.

[@atakdragonfly1675]

He kind of did that... He built an acoustic with an excellent luthier.

[@bee4590]

its not sca-taylor made, but rob made a classic guitar last year

[@aneri72]

Für Elise would sound awesome coming from that piece of art 🙂 I also have a "small" request: Can you please make a sample library out of this. I think 57 vel. layers and about 96 round robin samples per key should do it 😅

[@edwindutilleul4267]

Sca-Taylor will never cease to amaze me!

[@tbaudio3310]

I love the chemistry between Rob and Simon. I could watch them build anything and love it.

[@ly_is_music]

This just looks like toddlers arts and craft but they have powertools and infinite wood. And I'm so here for it!

[@DemoAppleMusic]

Make a series of flutes/recorders next, I can't wait to see you guys' spin on that

[@TheDarkMessiah]

Does that mean we're also getting a vid about how to make a piano from a "professional" that's less skilled than Simon like Marshall was?

[@thomaswilliams507]

Hopefully! Might be more than a 2 hour video

[@Vedgy]

Damn why are you firing shots at Marshall

[@TheDarkMessiah]

@@Vedgy smh my head, spending so much time sanding a guitar when he could just embrace the spikiness...

[@FuckSmucker]

You really should’ve recruited the expertise of Mattias Krantz for this. He’s an engineer!

[@sams-pg7hj]

I bet all the piano players and technicians in Sweden have been warned about him by now. too bad he is far away from rob in Chicago

[@PhillipRaymondGoodman]

Come on matthias, doorstops instead of hammers, I feel like it would sound incredible on an actual piano

[@justinfoltz8114]

You feel like you are watching a train wreck unfold, and then it turns out to be freaking amazing - and then the sentient laughing murder piano makes it just that much better. I would be curious how it sounds if you mic it in the cavity. This is just madness...love it.

[@CillianEm7]

I love that at 31:44 when the stand hits the top, one of the spikes breaks

[@ekoms1355]

Keep doing the instruments it’s awesome, by the time you get every instrument wonky it’s going to become an archive of beautiful designs.

[@flekkzo]

This series is so awesome. The people who do change history. Also you really truly need to build an analogue synth, and I need a live commentary by LMNC on the second channel for that one.

[@PhillipRaymondGoodman]

The sounds will end up coming from them being electricuted...

[@DuhonTattoos]

Pretty sure I’ve been subscribed to you since like 2010. You’re my favorite channel on KZbin and watching your videos always reignites my love for music when I’ve seemed to have lost motivation. Thanks rob!

[@csongorkakuk5871]

Congratulations on your 15th anniversary on KZbin, Rob! I've been a follower for more than half the way through (8 years or so), and it's incredible how you can always bring so much fun, art, positivity, inspiration and a lot of times education into the world with your videos. I wish you many more years and happiness to come on this amazing journey and thank you for the fantastic content!

[@freethis222]

Thank you Rob and everybody behind the scenes - we enjoy watching you enjoying what you are doing!

[@MaximilliaN-]

Ever since i started watching rob again, I've started to get more into playing and writing music. Thanks rob!

[@napalmholocaust9093]

My piano and organ construction books are some of my favorites. I got them from a guy who had a dream telling him to build a little pipe organ in the 1960's. Beautify made table top replica of a gothic cathedral in mahogany with the pipes sticking out the top at the back, keys down one side. Ran on an ancient vacuum cleaner motor. I wish I had it.

[@iqiyi1928]

If you dont bend the strings on top of the rod, then you can hear a better sounding piano. Its like youre making a Japanese Koto but on a grand murderous piano. Now you've exp, make MP V2. Working keys, more function, more dangerous, put great finish paint etc etc. Thanks Rob

[@thomasway0320]

God, imagine this plus the guitar and the drum, all end up in a musicians’ museum or something like that.

[@alexv1190]

Probably will cause what else do new generations have for heros? The days of nirvana are over. Internet stars will be remembered now

[@bloomhobby]

Finally, my favourite brand of musical instruments is back to cut our hands

[@kittykat490]

I had just taken such a huge mouthful of tea when you said "pianos are expensive, I dunno why because they're clearly so easy to make" and I had to really fight to keep it in

[@nenadjovanovski1461]

31:44 Just love how the piece at the right corner falls off :D

[@SargentHURT]

Rob you never cease to amaze us, your creativity and musicality is insane! Much love!

[@alpineracer06]

Congrats on 15 years, Rob! Keep up the great work!

[@letthetunesflow]

Your song could totally be on a Tom Waits album and I love it! 😆. I love your videos like this! You seem like you are having such fun doing these kinds of creative videos! Please don’t stop having fun and making things that make you happy! It really shines through! I just love seeing people staying true to themselves and seeing that joy radiate through! You be you Rob! At some point money won’t make you happier, but doing stupid S#!? like this sure will!

[@RadicalEdwardStudios]

Building shit like this is a surprisingly good way to do a science on the components, like those locking tuners. You can't tell how reliable a company's tuners are when you buy 4 .. 8 of them, but when you buy 88? On a related note: Would you like access to an actual, more fully outfitted wood shop in the Chicago area?

[@vegetableoil4391]

True, I've learned more from these videos than I ever would from watching lecture after lecture about how guitars work

[@dominikschropp]

You made my childhood nightmare come true. The piano from Mario 64 scared the shit our of me. Great job, this just looks awsome!

[@ItsSauIGoodman]

Love you Rob. Thanks for the awesome content!

[@christophersoprano-sculptor]

Such a fun project. The tuners sticking out makes it look like the piano ate six guitars.

[@Janno13131]

Congrats on the 15 years! I've only been watching for a few but always enjoy the videos!

[@dalec4906]

We need you guys to release the whole Sca-Taylor range for us to buy.

[@Kris_Toffer]

The song at the end was actually surprisingly good. I could imagine that in a weird horror film for sure.

[@krisb853]

I honestly love these videos. There is a progression, music, creativity and just fun to these videos. Keep up the great work and I can't wait until your next upload!

[@TheSpiritCarriesOn]

Love Simon. Absolutely adore the ScaTaylor videos! It's like a birthday present every time.

[@HollowSun]

Rob spent so long looking for an instrument he couldn't play, til he gave up and decided to start making them himself. And then managed to play them

[@matias6119]

It's time for an album featuring all the Sca-Taylor instruments

[@catfish552]

Excellent timing! I was just rewatching the drum kit and guitar the other day. Congratulations on FIFTEEN YEARS!

[@baalrog887]

That legit sounded dope, I can imagine that on a video game soundtrack

[@NaseIV]

this thing is gonna sell at auction in 100 years as a "rare folk instrument"

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

1000 years in the future, archaeologists are going to interpret it as a ritual artifact representing an unrecorded mythical antagonist.

[@MikeY-1st]

I always enjoy these What if you guys had a friendly contest where you build the same instrument and see who did it best :O Maybe start with something small like a flute?

[@Taverius]

The thing I really love about Sca-Taylor is they're never afraid to innovate! 🤣

[@davidrobinson4291]

I'm almost halfway through this vid and I've already abandoned what I think I know about the piano lol. I'm probably going to have to watch more than three times because I'm absolutely enamored that someone would make a DIY piano and also I would like to improve on the design. Good stuff, ALL OF THE THUMBS UP!

[@davidrobinson4291]

also, congrats on 15 years!

[@OINMAS]

I was hoping this video would exist! 😃 The videos you guys make are so wonderful and impressive, original, funny, and when you least expect it, heartwarming! Thanks so much.

[@_arealla]

Gotta say, I'm loving watching you guys delve further into madness.

[@hexiestmanintheworld]

You are incredibly talented man! The music video is amazing!

[@splash__]

Learned a lot and had fun along the way - the best

[@randomdestructn]

Congrats on 15 years. Always great content here, I look forward to whatever the future brings.

[@FreeRansom101]

Please never stop these vids Rob.

[@MikeOrkid]

Already ordered 3 of these. Can't wait to play them.

[@Notimportant666]

Happy 15 years of an awesome channel, hopefully there's plenty more to come 🎉👍

[@HowlingUlf]

These Sca-Taylor projects are one of the entertainingestest things imaginable hahaha! And they make noises plus they're good enough for proof of concept, so I'd LOVE to see at least some of them eventually have a version 2.0 !!! You know, you've seen the initial problems so v2.0 would be sooo much better, then there is a diminishing return effect and I guess v5.0 or v10.0 is not worth it and also too serious. But a second generation would be something, right? :D

[@creek2gaming20]

I love the sca-taylor series of instruments it always amusing to see how it goes

[@jackbitzel3903]

i like that you drew your design on the inside of a shoebox on the back of your car in the parking lot in freezing temperatures

[@sergeisukhorukov2971]

This series is just so good

[@hiotsobo]

I seriously can't get enough of these videos. So much genuine cemestry and shinanagins

[@aminormemory-musicartist]

I love your crazy awesome video ideas! Can't wait to see what instrument you make next!

[@doughnut3639]

My favorite thing about sca-Taylor is how the plans for the build are literally drawn out on a shoe box in the parking lot right before picking up supplies.

[@Fallub]

That music video was the most amazing and at the same time hilarious music video I have ever seen.

[@maura462]

this is one of a kind elegant piece of instrument

[@peehandshihtzu]

Congrats on 15 years Rob! Thank You for every one of them. :)

[@PatrickBoberg]

Love returning to this hilarious build. Final Cut 7 at the end is a beautiful touch.

[@emilyrln]

Sca-Taylor: innovating music technology

[@_guitarjun_]

I'm so glad your channel is thriving so many years after I first discovered you!

[@rottingemptiness]

Again , an amazing video , man , you really rock !!!! 🙂🎸🥁🎤🎼🎶🪕

[@TheCastagne]

This is an amazingly cool video!! Wow! Congrats on your 15 years ^^!

[@zorlab]

I could watch these build videos all damn day. Seems like so much fun!

[@lkjohnroach]

ive never been more excited for the implication of a secondary video than watching this video. and this video is awesome!

[@Alkiller25]

Grats for your 15 Rob, great vids, good joob as always! keep going sir!

[@Noyasparx]

Marvelous, I love it!

[@JeffPatersonGMP]

that wooden pole under extreme tension aimed directly at you for the strings. love it.

[@ethanmoeckel753]

Congrats, Rob S. Great work. Cheers! Keep us posted. From, Ethan Moeckel.

[@angerthosenear_yt]

I love the inside scoop on Sca-Taylor quality.

[@rioroj]

Love this new craftsmen genre

[@theownphantom]

I've been waiting for this one.

[@ELau-yn8pw]

I've literally been waiting on the edge of my seat for another one of these videos!!

[@suzanrudulph4141]

Such an unexpected cool sound

[@yaquimike]

this video is something i needed in my life but didn’t know i did till now!!

[@rrrosecarbinela]

awesome. you guys are hysterical!