Silbermann showed Johann Sebastian Bach single of his early instruments in the 1730s, but Bach did not like it at that time, claiming that the below notes were too soft to allow a full dynamic range. Although this earned him some animosity from Silbermann, the criticism was apparently heeded. Bach did approve of a later instrument he saw in 1747, and even served as an agent in selling Silbermann's pianos.
Some initial pianos had shapes and designs that are no longer in use. The nonpartisan piano had horizontal strings Piano Lessons arranged diagonally across the rectangular case above the hammers and with the keyboard appointed in the long side. This design is attributed to Gottfried Silbermann or Christian Ernst Friderici on the continent, and Johannes Zumpe or Harman Vietor in England and it was improved by changes first introduced by Guillaume-Lebrecht Petzold in France and Alpheus Babcock in the United States.