Book excerpt: In 'Theory and Practice of Piano Construction', William Braid White takes readers on a journey through the evolution of the modern American pianoforte. While there have been many writers on the history and ancestry of the instrument, White's book provides an exposition of the correct principles of design in a form that possesses permanent value to the American manufacturer. The book analyzes each step in the making of a pianoforte, from the strings and resonance to the framing and mechanisms of percussion and touch. White's aim is to assist those who have already investigated, or who intend to investigate the whole problem, to a clearer and broader comprehension of a beautiful art.