The Piaggero is a new brand of electronic piano. Combining “piano" with the Italian word “leggero,” meaning light, the name “piaggero” evokes a slim, lightweight piano. I wanted to craft a piano that could be carried with easy, and played anywhere. The theme behind this design was to create an instrument that combined the essence of the piano with a trustworthy feel in a slim body. To this end, it was vital that we focus on the process of capturing the essential nature of the piano. How compact could we make the instrument, leaving the image and values of the piano itself intact without sacrificing anything? We gained some hints from high-grade, pocket-sized cameras and audio devices, which we felt had a real sense of compactness and authenticity. At the same time, we discussed the qualities of pianos at great length, arranging our thoughts on what qualities make a piano a piano. It turned out that different people defined these qualities differently. Some people associate pianos with their black, mirror-like exterior surfaces, while others see them in more structural terms, believing that such qualities have more to do with the piano’s elegant horizontal orientation. We also debated on whether the essence of a piano lay in its detail, like the unfettered space around the keyboard, or the depiction of the logo. In the course of our discussions we came to realize how we could bring the Piaggero concept to reality. After numerous detailed mockups, this is the Piaggero design that we adopted. In creating this design, we experimented with a variety of difficult construction techniques in order to simplify the Piaggero’s appearance. The “essence” of the piano is an eternal theme for me, involved as I am in the creation of pianos. I believe that the response to this challenge varies from person to person, and likely continuously over time; a notion I will continue to pursue as I create pianos.