tickle the ivories
Play piano informally
Tickle the ivories is a playful expression for playing the piano, referring to the white keys traditionally made from ivory.
The phrase suggests a light, casual touch rather than serious performance: He sat down and tickled the ivories for a bit while we waited.
- grand pianoLarge horizontal keyboard instrument
- baby grandMid-sized stringed keyboard
- ivory keysTraditional piano surface material
- piano keysInstrument's pressed surfaces
- keysLock-operating instruments
honky-tonk · piano · plinking · perform · keyboard · make music · improvise · compose · tinkling · ragtime · play · sheet music · noodling · musician · barrelhouse · saloon piano · play by ear · practice
- music expressionsmusic to my ears, in tune, out of tune, play it by ear, strike a chord
- performingperform, sing, play, act, dance