So do you feel some sort of feedback when you hit a key? Like when you hit a piano key (especially on Steinways, I find) you feel the key hitting them hammer?
@crazyghetto978818 Oh yes. You feel the EXACT cut and thickness of the plectrum as it pulls on the string. And when you have both manuals coupled you feel twice the resistance. Every harpsichord has a different "hardness of pluck" and so they all feel different from each other.
does a Harpsichord ever need tuning? or does it have to have the strings changed? I just recently discovered this unique instrument after hearing a Fleetwood Mac song. :)
@TheLeftylegend14 Hello, thank you for checking out my video. I answer your questions in my FAQ in the video description. I have to tune the harpsichord everytime I play it if I want to hear it in-tune. Which Feeltwood Mac song?
@SFChristo my bad. it was the Partridge Family song " I Think I Love You ". and I looked up the chords to the song on guitar and it said (Harpsichord solo) and luckily your video was here on Youtube.
Assuming you can control how high/low the pick is above the string, could you do harmonics like on guitars? (very lightly touch a vibrating string with the pick)
@headbanginCJ Hello. I know what you mean. I don't think it would work on the harpsichord because you would need to very carefully set the plectrum (pick) and it would lead to a lot of notes not sounding (you'd have to adjust it all the time). But you can get the guitar effect of playing "closer to the bridge". Now the clavichord always hits the strings at the octave (12th fret harmonic effect). That's why its so quiet. I have some videos up of that instrument.
is this the instrument used on Fi's theme from Zelda Skyward Sword? It sounds like it but the instrument I'm looking for sounds like it may have a more fuller tone. Maybe it is this though.
Brilliant video! I'd LOVE to have a play on a Harpsichord sometime! But whenever I've come across them, (which has been VERY rare), it's been forbidden to touch them! I have sneakily pressed a few keys on a Virginal before, as there was no one around to guard it! LOL! It's a shame these classic instruments are so hard to come by in this day and age.
Hi :D I just love the harpsichord WAY more than the piano. I Get the mechanism however I can't seem to get lute stop. Yes the lute stop touches the strings, but it seems that only touches one of the strings. And another thing is that I saw the how the keyboard works but It shows that the 4 foot string are playing along the 8 foot strings but it doesn't sound that way when you play the double. So can you explain to me the lute stop and the 4 foot strings???
@Orchidbeautyful Hello, the lute stop has small pieces of leather that touch each string. You slide it over and all these little blocks of leather slide against the strings. One per string. --- The 4' has its one lever over on the right. That determines whether or not its on. (it has to be ON in order for it to be heard even if the keyboards are coupled).
This is a very interesting video. I liked it. I've never played on a real harpsichord but I would like to. The software simulated stuff doesn't rival the real thing.
@unclesaboin Hello, and the FEEL of the keys/action of the software doesn't rival the real thing. The exact cut of the quills creates the tension one feels on the keys and the volume of sound. Its all directly physically related. (BTW I love synths and have nothing against using them but they are not satisfying as pianos or harpsichords. )
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and instruments. I love these instruments and have been making plucked string keyboards myself for almost 50 yrs. Never tire of them.
Wonderful video! I'd been wondering about the "two keyboards" deal for quite a while and you explained everything so simply and eloquently. These are marvelous instruments. Thank you for making this.
@ChemoRawk That's right there are no sustain pedals to lift the felt dampers of the strings. As soon as you let off the key, the felt dampers on the jacks come down and stop the sound. The sustain pedal changed the entire outlook for composers. Chopin waltzes and so on would not have been conceived without them.
Excellent video. So many people do a horrible job of demonstrating and describing, you did a magnificent job! Clear and concise and the videography was perfect.
piano forte was always my favorite instrument and I thought of harpsichord as its more "niche" cousin but now I see they're actually quite versatile, didn't know unlike a piano you can't adjust the sound by key pressure since strings are plucked
@MrDoglover239 Yes, there is a clavichord. You can hear it on a few videos I put up. I want to show the clavichord in a demo video as you suggest but the sad truth is that I don't really know how to keep it tuned. So, once in a while the builder drops by an tunes it (once a year?). I'll keep your suggestion in mind next time he comes by.
@SFChristo You're lucky. I always wanted a French Harpsichord but couldn't maybe because of living in Turkey (worthless money) and being a lower class.
I bought a toy-like electronic keyboard that none of the sounds are good.
Learnt BWV 846 and 972 up to now but since it sounds awful I'm really unhappy.
@D2Ci Thank you, I do know and think everyday of how fortunate I am. -- I was JUST in Turkey 2 weeks ago- Cannakale to see the ruins of Troy. Wish very much I could have stayed longer and seen more.
It's crazy how my teacher was telling me that bach's music was composed for a harpsichord. At the time i had absolutely no idea what a harpsichord was but for some reason, just by learning his invention 13, this is exactly the sound i imagined it would be.
@bonestorm99 ya just looked it up, that was pretty impressive, check out emily autumn's unlaced it was used in a saw movie. a little ...odd but quite cool
question from a composer... how dramatic is the difference in resonance if the lower octave or 2 octaves of the instrument's dampers are set free from their strings? i.e. by applying a weight (or someone's hand) on the keys in that range... thanks, Abe
@stilsonkidd Hello, Abe, I just had a chance to try it out. I too am a composer and understand what you're looking for. It makes very very LITTLE difference. I can barely tell. The instrument seems to produce a background resonance normally so holding down the keys to lift the felt dampers (which does physically work) seems to make almost no additional resonance. (so unlike as with a piano)
What a great video! I've always loved the sound of the harpsichord, and now I know how it makes that sound (or sounds). My wife is a classical pianist and told me about the "pluck" difference, but she really didn't know how it worked.
A question though, couldn't you really get away with the two keyboard harpsichord? Albeit, it looks like the two keyboard harpsichord is more complex. It looks like you could, but maybe I missed something?
@murrij Hello. Sure I could have just the two manual French harpsichord but sometimes I play music for two harpsichords and then its handy to have the single manual Italian. As for tuning, I have to tune everytime I play just like a guitar. But the reality is that laziness sets in and I tolerate the out of tuneness for a long time until I have someone visiting.
Thanks for taking the time to make the video, and explain the harpsichord. I could not figure out how a piano looking instrument was 'plucked' with a quill.
I am taking a Music Appreciation class right now and it helps to be able to visualize the uncommon instruments used.
Great video, thanks for sharing that. Started to get information overload when you moved onto the second harpsichord and the million different settings :D But very factual and well-presented, made it quite easy for someone like myself who knows almost next to nothing on the mechanics of how they work.
have you ever encountered that piano where you can change the key by turning that knob thing. if so and if you remeber the name could you please tell me.
Such a variety of sounds available. I heard a Hep Stars song "Isn't It Easy to Say" and decided to place the type of instrument used in it. Interesting that rock and pop music had a period that harpsichord was used. Even Jimi Hendrix used it for "Burning of the Midnight Lamp".
@fifoso042906 Hello, that piece is Bach's famous Prelude in C major. He has many preludes in C major but this one is from the first book of the Well Tempered Clavier.
Micing a harpsicord-"so metal", as they say! :) This is so beautiful-I`ve actually had watery eyes when you started playing the tune at 7:16.
I`ve spent my whole morning reading about and listening to Scarlatti, Bach and Baroque music in general.
You can probably imagine yourself in the 17th century every evening :)))))))))
It`s so sad that these babies were literally thrown out of windows during the French Revolution and fell into general misuse during the 19th century(DAMN YOU, PIANO!:))
Do all harpsichords have 5 octaves per keyboard and start at F, or can one be custom made to have more octaves or start on a different key? I'm assuming the 5 octaves are the standard.
@NosirrahKaraneeum Hello. Harpsichords vary quite a bit on their number of keys. Some are about 4 octaves. A few (some Italian models for accompanying singers) don't even have all the chromatic bass notes. You can play the entire Well Tempered Clavier of Bach on a 4 octave instrument. Mine has quite a wide range (in fact it would be hard to tune any notes above or below the extremes on mine). I wanted this wide range because Scarlatti's Sonata K. 380 requires these high notes (up to G).
@ashtonmadhatter Hello. Pianos might look more simple. But they are very complex compared to a harpsichord. From the bent wood (steamed and bent in many layers), the iron frame, and especially the complexity of the hammer action and release ("escapement mechanism" that allows the hammer to fall away after you hit a key- otherwise you would have a dead sound when you held down keys).
Hello,, I think i broke my organ teacher's harpsichord... I tried to use a stop.... but i disactivated the lower manual of the harpsichord,,, and couldn't find a way to make it sound again,,,,,, what did i do??? can you halp me out??
Very nice! I have been yearning for a harpsichord for over a year now. After seeing your very informative video I want one even more. I have 6 foot baby grand in my living room and my partner doesn't want me to get a harpsichord because he says there will be no room to seat guests when they come to visit. One problem we have is that we live in a 91 year old house, we don't leave any heat on during the night. I presume that wouldn't be too good for the soundboard...you are a wonderful performer!
@girofline53 Hello, sorry to just be replying now. We have a 6' grand and a harpsi and organ in the same room in a house built in 1904. It is very cramped in the music room but we've gotten used to it. I don't know what would happen to the tuning if you turned off the heat every night but it might stabilize after being on a couple hours in the morning. I don't think you have to worry too much about the sound board. They are mostly affected by a lot of dry heat and also severe humidity.
@knight10666 Look online. Just search for harpsichord builder or harpsichord sale. We got ours from a clearing house in Mass. Hopefully you can check one out in person before buying it.
The piece you're playing on the double manual harpsichord has also been used by the Italian prog-rock band "Le Orme" (quite famous in Italy during the 1970s) for their trademark track "Collage". I love this video (finally I've understood how it works!)
@SafanovaNataliya Hello. Yes, wonderful pieces. I've recorded most of them and posted them in full on youtube with the exception of Scarlatti's Sonata in E maj. K. 380. You will find lots of records of that on Youtube.
something interesting i have noticed is that with the harpsichord and celesta, you can hear the mechanisms within the instrument working as well as the actual note (especially with a celesta). but with a piano, you hear no such sound. why is this? is it simply because mechanisms needed to bring a hammer in contact with a string are less complex than to pluck a string or hammer a plate, and are therefore more silent? sorry if this is irrelevant but i am genuinely curious.
@Jynx215 Hello. Now what you are talking about is called "action noise". That could be the sound of the keys themselves to the mechanism inside. On the harpsichord there is also the sound of the jack falling back into place once you let go of the keyboard. The piano is much louder than the harpsichord and perhaps part of that covers up some action noise. But in reality the piano action is much much much more complex than the harpsichord's and clavichord's. (which is simple)
i've always loved the sound this instrument makes. i play bass guitar and acoustic guitar (don't really play electric because i'm more a rhythm guy than solo). i have always wanted a harpsichord, ever since i was a kid. just love the sound it makes and how full it sound when you harmonize on it. just really amazing/different sound.
@Tenifus Hello, thanks for your interest. There is not enough room here for my complete answer but if you read this video's description, you will see FAQs. Read the last 3 or so. Basically, beware cheaper instruments. Not to sound elitist but I have had a couple myself and they are very frustrating.
@iamajibber The keys on my harpsichords are 5" long versus 5.75" on my piano. And that does make harpsichord keys seem much smaller.The span of the octave is also just a bit more short on the harpsichord. But that really adds up if you are leaping a few octaves up or down on the keyboard.
Some instruments based on older harpsichords probably have even smaller keys.
@SFChristo Thanks, I will have to ask more about it. It is such a great instrument, I am a piano player and just started playing it. I love it death. Thanks for this video i really enjoyed it.
@SFChristo Well... most harpsichord players use the small spacing as an advantage compared to pianos in terms of easy spacing. (playing quick keys and reaching far keys that are rather impossible to reach in piano.) hence that's why most harpsichord scores (like allegros) are always played at a high tempo and have really frustratingly agitating compositions. (they're so quick i have to play at a slow rate)
@douskara : Do not get it on the case of your piano on account of the ugly stain it might impose. If you get it into the mechanism it may attract the dust and hence clog the mechanism and so stop notes from being palyed.
@vacuumlover1 Even if you are joking around, please do not dishonor the memory of the two great men who built these harpsichords. Don Angle was a meticulous builder and a wonderful musician (who played popular music, ragtime etc on the harpsichord). He was also a personal friend.
Your video and sound presentation is very personal, educational and great quality. Thank you for sharing this. I'm honestly not the greatest fan of harpsichords and all its variants, but they take a lion's share of keyboard instrument development and repertory. I will have to say my favorite of all harpsichords would be the single-strung 'clavicytherium'. Thanks again.
@yermyahu Thank you. A very very good musician, teafruitbat (Ryan Whitney), has JUST gotten a clavicytherium. So you might check out his channel as he will be posting recordings there.
So do you feel some sort of feedback when you hit a key? Like when you hit a piano key (especially on Steinways, I find) you feel the key hitting them hammer?
crazyghetto978818 2 days ago
@crazyghetto978818 Oh yes. You feel the EXACT cut and thickness of the plectrum as it pulls on the string. And when you have both manuals coupled you feel twice the resistance. Every harpsichord has a different "hardness of pluck" and so they all feel different from each other.
SFChristo 12 hours ago
does a Harpsichord ever need tuning? or does it have to have the strings changed? I just recently discovered this unique instrument after hearing a Fleetwood Mac song. :)
TheLeftylegend14 1 week ago
@TheLeftylegend14 Hello, thank you for checking out my video. I answer your questions in my FAQ in the video description. I have to tune the harpsichord everytime I play it if I want to hear it in-tune. Which Feeltwood Mac song?
SFChristo 5 days ago
@SFChristo my bad. it was the Partridge Family song " I Think I Love You ". and I looked up the chords to the song on guitar and it said (Harpsichord solo) and luckily your video was here on Youtube.
TheLeftylegend14 4 days ago
Pretty nice to know about this beautifull instrument! Nice Bach's ave maria at the end
capamagic 2 weeks ago
Assuming you can control how high/low the pick is above the string, could you do harmonics like on guitars? (very lightly touch a vibrating string with the pick)
headbanginCJ 2 weeks ago
@headbanginCJ Hello. I know what you mean. I don't think it would work on the harpsichord because you would need to very carefully set the plectrum (pick) and it would lead to a lot of notes not sounding (you'd have to adjust it all the time). But you can get the guitar effect of playing "closer to the bridge". Now the clavichord always hits the strings at the octave (12th fret harmonic effect). That's why its so quiet. I have some videos up of that instrument.
SFChristo 2 weeks ago
is this the instrument used on Fi's theme from Zelda Skyward Sword? It sounds like it but the instrument I'm looking for sounds like it may have a more fuller tone. Maybe it is this though.
Xenomus 3 weeks ago
@Xenomus Hello. I don't know about Fi's theme. When I made this video, both harpsichords were set to have a very full tone/sound.
SFChristo 2 weeks ago
Brilliant video! I'd LOVE to have a play on a Harpsichord sometime! But whenever I've come across them, (which has been VERY rare), it's been forbidden to touch them! I have sneakily pressed a few keys on a Virginal before, as there was no one around to guard it! LOL! It's a shame these classic instruments are so hard to come by in this day and age.
SFXAlien924 4 weeks ago
Guilty Gear has made me love crazy rocky stuff on Harpsichords. Just sounds so good.
How much can you expect to pay for a good one?
Asdayasman 1 month ago
@Asdayasman Hello. I've answered this and other questions in the video FAQ above.
SFChristo 2 weeks ago
@SFChristo So you did. Sorry, I'm quite blind.
Asdayasman 1 week ago
Hi :D I just love the harpsichord WAY more than the piano. I Get the mechanism however I can't seem to get lute stop. Yes the lute stop touches the strings, but it seems that only touches one of the strings. And another thing is that I saw the how the keyboard works but It shows that the 4 foot string are playing along the 8 foot strings but it doesn't sound that way when you play the double. So can you explain to me the lute stop and the 4 foot strings???
Orchidbeautyful 1 month ago
@Orchidbeautyful Hello, the lute stop has small pieces of leather that touch each string. You slide it over and all these little blocks of leather slide against the strings. One per string. --- The 4' has its one lever over on the right. That determines whether or not its on. (it has to be ON in order for it to be heard even if the keyboards are coupled).
SFChristo 1 month ago
@Orchidbeautyful Oh yes. The lute stop does touch ONLY one set of strings. So only one set can have the effect.
SFChristo 2 weeks ago
Thanks! This is a great tutorial on the Harpsichord.
hgbruch 1 month ago
Thanks...this is really informative. What a beautiful classic instrument
mrgreenhouseman 1 month ago
Great Job .. Thanks !
biotonk 1 month ago
OMG I sooooooo wanna play Lady Madonna on that! XD
scotplane 1 month ago
@scotplane It would sound really good.
SFChristo 1 month ago
Thanks for the helpful video!
zachpiano 1 month ago
Thanks for the Awesome video and the FAQ.
BKaushikS 1 month ago
This is a very interesting video. I liked it. I've never played on a real harpsichord but I would like to. The software simulated stuff doesn't rival the real thing.
unclesaboin 2 months ago
@unclesaboin Hello, and the FEEL of the keys/action of the software doesn't rival the real thing. The exact cut of the quills creates the tension one feels on the keys and the volume of sound. Its all directly physically related. (BTW I love synths and have nothing against using them but they are not satisfying as pianos or harpsichords. )
SFChristo 2 months ago
I have always loved the harpsichord but didn't know how it worked. great video
blacktippydog 2 months ago
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and instruments. I love these instruments and have been making plucked string keyboards myself for almost 50 yrs. Never tire of them.
fnersch 2 months ago
you are loaded to own these instruments
MsOneiroi77 2 months ago
This is a brilliant, brilliant video. Very informative and is helping me alot with course work! Thank you.
PUFFINCHUNKS 2 months ago
@PUFFINCHUNKS Glad I made it! Thank you for watching.
SFChristo 2 months ago
What a great video sir.
TokeyMcGee 2 months ago
2:45 he's got the jack, he's got the jack. And who knows what else. Acdc rules.
Rick1885 2 months ago
what song is played at 7:20?
EV1lLLHAHA 2 months ago
@EV1lLLHAHA Hello, its a Scarlatti Sonata in E major. Search for K. 380 and you'll find it.
SFChristo 2 months ago
Wonderful video, SFChristo
jonanjello 2 months ago
I've always loved the sound of the harpsicord and piano. :)
roejames12 2 months ago
Amazing and very informative video
How much do those things cost?
I want one ;)
AngoSkazz 3 months ago
Very interesting. Were the older (original) Harpsichords this as "clever" as this 1967 model. There are so many options that I never knew about.
marcel911 3 months ago
@marcel911 Hello, oh yes, the antique ones were just as sophisticated. The double manual one here is based off of French models by Taskin.
SFChristo 2 months ago
Such a cool instrument.
chicken11999933 3 months ago
that's fascinating
thanks for sharing
i envy you ; )
lucidzirkus 3 months ago
Wonderful video! I'd been wondering about the "two keyboards" deal for quite a while and you explained everything so simply and eloquently. These are marvelous instruments. Thank you for making this.
pentherapy 3 months ago
That was awesome.
DayTripperLennon 3 months ago
i didnt know that the instrument have buttons like a bus opening doors to take people on station
i thought only pedals
Sashomei 3 months ago
thx for showing!
TheNovum 3 months ago
Oh god I want a Harpsichord.
Ashitaka255 4 months ago
wow, thanks for sharing that. the one with two tones sounds so rich i'm impressed by it.
smittsteve04 4 months ago
Hello, I'd like to know, do you ever have to replace the strings just like I have to for my guitar?
ZijnErNogNamenOver 4 months ago
You didn't mention any sustain pedals so I'm guessing Harpsichords simply can't have one right? because of the plucked string mechanism?
ChemoRawk 4 months ago
@ChemoRawk That's right there are no sustain pedals to lift the felt dampers of the strings. As soon as you let off the key, the felt dampers on the jacks come down and stop the sound. The sustain pedal changed the entire outlook for composers. Chopin waltzes and so on would not have been conceived without them.
SFChristo 4 months ago
The harpsichord is such a unique instrument. I wish I could afford one.
praeter75 4 months ago in playlist More videos from SFChristo
What a wonderful intro to the workings of a harpsichord. Beautifully done... thank you.
Diesel415 4 months ago
This is by far the best demonstration of the harpsichord I've seen! Thanks for posting!
JGBaroque 5 months ago
Excellent video. So many people do a horrible job of demonstrating and describing, you did a magnificent job! Clear and concise and the videography was perfect.
doppydufus 5 months ago
great vid, incredibly interesting
piano forte was always my favorite instrument and I thought of harpsichord as its more "niche" cousin but now I see they're actually quite versatile, didn't know unlike a piano you can't adjust the sound by key pressure since strings are plucked
PMeursault 5 months ago
I never knew why harpsichords had two keyboard. Learn something every day!
1andonlyWojjan 5 months ago
Very interesting Thank you!
Alex11111Ufa1 5 months ago
that's so cool! where did you get these harpsichords? they must've costed heaps!
example100000 5 months ago
Did i see a clavichord in the corner, or by the doorway? Can you make a video showing how a clavichord works?
MrDoglover239 6 months ago
@MrDoglover239 Yes, there is a clavichord. You can hear it on a few videos I put up. I want to show the clavichord in a demo video as you suggest but the sad truth is that I don't really know how to keep it tuned. So, once in a while the builder drops by an tunes it (once a year?). I'll keep your suggestion in mind next time he comes by.
SFChristo 6 months ago
Your voice is like Gabe from The Office
Nice video :)
omeocaralho 6 months ago
@SFChristo You're lucky. I always wanted a French Harpsichord but couldn't maybe because of living in Turkey (worthless money) and being a lower class.
I bought a toy-like electronic keyboard that none of the sounds are good.
Learnt BWV 846 and 972 up to now but since it sounds awful I'm really unhappy.
D2Ci 6 months ago
@D2Ci Thank you, I do know and think everyday of how fortunate I am. -- I was JUST in Turkey 2 weeks ago- Cannakale to see the ruins of Troy. Wish very much I could have stayed longer and seen more.
SFChristo 6 months ago
Thank you, man. I always wanted to know how these work, and wikipedia didn't help much.
lerosalima 6 months ago
It's crazy how my teacher was telling me that bach's music was composed for a harpsichord. At the time i had absolutely no idea what a harpsichord was but for some reason, just by learning his invention 13, this is exactly the sound i imagined it would be.
gumdrops27 6 months ago
watch?v=-LDLD9mzfAc
SCTION3 6 months ago
Amazing instrument.
Ratman84 7 months ago
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Lolen4766 7 months ago
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Lolen4766 7 months ago
I played a game called F-Zero GP Legend, and it has a song called Illusion that proves you can rock out on this instrument :]
bonestorm99 7 months ago
@bonestorm99 ya just looked it up, that was pretty impressive, check out emily autumn's unlaced it was used in a saw movie. a little ...odd but quite cool
MisSorryforthespam 6 months ago
question from a composer... how dramatic is the difference in resonance if the lower octave or 2 octaves of the instrument's dampers are set free from their strings? i.e. by applying a weight (or someone's hand) on the keys in that range... thanks, Abe
stilsonkidd 7 months ago
@stilsonkidd Hello, Abe, I just had a chance to try it out. I too am a composer and understand what you're looking for. It makes very very LITTLE difference. I can barely tell. The instrument seems to produce a background resonance normally so holding down the keys to lift the felt dampers (which does physically work) seems to make almost no additional resonance. (so unlike as with a piano)
SFChristo 6 months ago
i like this video, you taught me how it work , thx, my teacher
he214abc 7 months ago
There needs to be more people playing harpsichords in the world :3
cyberandyy 7 months ago
clear as a bell information..I learned more in your video than hours of reading....
and entertaining too!
thanks
cloudhop1 8 months ago
Wow, is amazing. Thanks for share this!
MauComposer10 8 months ago
What a great video! I've always loved the sound of the harpsichord, and now I know how it makes that sound (or sounds). My wife is a classical pianist and told me about the "pluck" difference, but she really didn't know how it worked.
A question though, couldn't you really get away with the two keyboard harpsichord? Albeit, it looks like the two keyboard harpsichord is more complex. It looks like you could, but maybe I missed something?
Another question: Do you have to tune regularly?
murrij 8 months ago
@murrij Hello. Sure I could have just the two manual French harpsichord but sometimes I play music for two harpsichords and then its handy to have the single manual Italian. As for tuning, I have to tune everytime I play just like a guitar. But the reality is that laziness sets in and I tolerate the out of tuneness for a long time until I have someone visiting.
SFChristo 4 months ago
Thanks for taking the time to make the video, and explain the harpsichord. I could not figure out how a piano looking instrument was 'plucked' with a quill.
I am taking a Music Appreciation class right now and it helps to be able to visualize the uncommon instruments used.
rachelle9876 8 months ago
You should do one that compares and contrasts the harpsichord and the piano :)
lavamaster530 8 months ago
Very very interesting. I often wondered how these instruments worked. Thanks.
09AMDBS 8 months ago
although being different in concept of how it works inside, the harpsichord keyboard is tuned the same way a piano usually is ?
MrFranciscoFidalgo 8 months ago
Great video, thanks for sharing that. Started to get information overload when you moved onto the second harpsichord and the million different settings :D But very factual and well-presented, made it quite easy for someone like myself who knows almost next to nothing on the mechanics of how they work.
SimonWasAlreadyTaken 8 months ago
Thank a lot for all these information.
WangLiangQuan 8 months ago
have you ever encountered that piano where you can change the key by turning that knob thing. if so and if you remeber the name could you please tell me.
skkiittllezz 8 months ago
@skkiittllezz Irving Berlin had a piano with a hand crank on it that moves the keys over. I think it is in the Smithsonian in Washington.
SFChristo 6 months ago
wonderful instrument.
Ashitaka255 9 months ago
Such a variety of sounds available. I heard a Hep Stars song "Isn't It Easy to Say" and decided to place the type of instrument used in it. Interesting that rock and pop music had a period that harpsichord was used. Even Jimi Hendrix used it for "Burning of the Midnight Lamp".
franknblunt 9 months ago
this is great wow i haven't heard the harpsichord in a long time
what is the name is the very last piece you played on 10:07 i cant remember it
but every time i hear it, it makes me think of heaven
fifoso042906 9 months ago
@fifoso042906 Hello, that piece is Bach's famous Prelude in C major. He has many preludes in C major but this one is from the first book of the Well Tempered Clavier.
SFChristo 9 months ago
@fifoso042906 BWV 846 Prelude in C major
D2Ci 6 months ago
@D2Ci thanks!
PrestonZero 4 months ago
@PrestonZero No problem. @ any time.
D2Ci 4 months ago
great video!!!!!!!
TheD0RKNIGHT 9 months ago
Can you play a tune from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto?!
You are amazing!!
fivestander 9 months ago
Micing a harpsicord-"so metal", as they say! :) This is so beautiful-I`ve actually had watery eyes when you started playing the tune at 7:16.
I`ve spent my whole morning reading about and listening to Scarlatti, Bach and Baroque music in general.
You can probably imagine yourself in the 17th century every evening :)))))))))
It`s so sad that these babies were literally thrown out of windows during the French Revolution and fell into general misuse during the 19th century(DAMN YOU, PIANO!:))
cMaXeJIJIo 10 months ago
Want.
X17242 10 months ago
This was a great video and the instruments are beautiful. Congratulations !!!!
maclaren48 10 months ago
dude.... thats a nice piano
SNDBDGR 10 months ago
Thanks, I enjoyed this video! I knew harpsichord strings were plucked but I had no idea how complex an instrument they were.
bonuscheesemilk 10 months ago
A very nice and interesting instrument, I hope that I can get some money to buy a harpsichord.
Ludwigooo 10 months ago
Excellent! I've learned a lot of harpsichords in this video! Thank you very much!
Someday I'll play in a harpsichord :)
RaphaDomeniche 10 months ago
The harpsichord was a "WTF" for me before I saw this video.
PianoDudexD 10 months ago
thank you!
FfSpgfLerWhd 10 months ago
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FfSpgfLerWhd 10 months ago
The more you know!
animeangela227 10 months ago
Thank u :D
U just helped me finish my assignment :D
kiran885 10 months ago
Harpsichord kicks the pianos ass any day.
Gasolineboy 11 months ago
This is my new favourite instrument.
Do all harpsichords have 5 octaves per keyboard and start at F, or can one be custom made to have more octaves or start on a different key? I'm assuming the 5 octaves are the standard.
NosirrahKaraneeum 11 months ago 2
@NosirrahKaraneeum Hello. Harpsichords vary quite a bit on their number of keys. Some are about 4 octaves. A few (some Italian models for accompanying singers) don't even have all the chromatic bass notes. You can play the entire Well Tempered Clavier of Bach on a 4 octave instrument. Mine has quite a wide range (in fact it would be hard to tune any notes above or below the extremes on mine). I wanted this wide range because Scarlatti's Sonata K. 380 requires these high notes (up to G).
SFChristo 11 months ago
cool......thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!1
r1casill 11 months ago
on 10:08 you played Bach's prelude, I like that piece
violiniztapianizta 11 months ago
Interestingly enough, harpsichords were developed before pianos and pianos look much easier and simpler to make.
ashtonmadhatter 11 months ago
@ashtonmadhatter Hello. Pianos might look more simple. But they are very complex compared to a harpsichord. From the bent wood (steamed and bent in many layers), the iron frame, and especially the complexity of the hammer action and release ("escapement mechanism" that allows the hammer to fall away after you hit a key- otherwise you would have a dead sound when you held down keys).
SFChristo 11 months ago
@SFChristo I stand corrected. Thank you for your valid and interesting information.
ashtonmadhatter 11 months ago
are these used in todays music?
chuffman91 11 months ago
@chuffman91 check out stratovarius, lets say black diamond song :)
wariomt 11 months ago
Hello,, I think i broke my organ teacher's harpsichord... I tried to use a stop.... but i disactivated the lower manual of the harpsichord,,, and couldn't find a way to make it sound again,,,,,, what did i do??? can you halp me out??
JohannnSebastianBach 11 months ago
Thank you for sharing this, the video illuminates the workings of the harpsichord in a way that verbal descriptions cannot. Simple and elegant.
maggieturner2 11 months ago
I seen a harpsichord on Cragslist the other night that looked very similar to the ones in this vid for $1000 or best offer. It was tempting.
clintonearlwalker 11 months ago
What a cool instrument!
gitarmats 1 year ago
Very nice! I have been yearning for a harpsichord for over a year now. After seeing your very informative video I want one even more. I have 6 foot baby grand in my living room and my partner doesn't want me to get a harpsichord because he says there will be no room to seat guests when they come to visit. One problem we have is that we live in a 91 year old house, we don't leave any heat on during the night. I presume that wouldn't be too good for the soundboard...you are a wonderful performer!
girofline53 1 year ago
@girofline53 Hello, sorry to just be replying now. We have a 6' grand and a harpsi and organ in the same room in a house built in 1904. It is very cramped in the music room but we've gotten used to it. I don't know what would happen to the tuning if you turned off the heat every night but it might stabilize after being on a couple hours in the morning. I don't think you have to worry too much about the sound board. They are mostly affected by a lot of dry heat and also severe humidity.
SFChristo 6 months ago
where can you get a harpsichord
knight10666 1 year ago
@knight10666 Look online. Just search for harpsichord builder or harpsichord sale. We got ours from a clearing house in Mass. Hopefully you can check one out in person before buying it.
SFChristo 1 year ago
Hey,
Thanks for sharing this information. This answered a lot of my questions about harpsichords.
Zylstra555 1 year ago
Excellent!
ShampooCell 1 year ago
The piece you're playing on the double manual harpsichord has also been used by the Italian prog-rock band "Le Orme" (quite famous in Italy during the 1970s) for their trademark track "Collage". I love this video (finally I've understood how it works!)
zosothebelly 1 year ago
@zosothebelly Oh thank you. Could you please tell me where I play the piece you mention? How many minutes and seconds into the video do I play it?
SFChristo 1 year ago
@SFChristo You play the piece from 7.17 to 7.42.
zosothebelly 1 year ago
@zosothebelly Ah, that is Scarlatti's Sonata in E major K. 380.
SFChristo 1 year ago
What are the songs you are playing? all of them. They are so beautiful, I'm an organist and pianist and I would like to get this music to play!
SafanovaNataliya 1 year ago
@SafanovaNataliya Hello. Yes, wonderful pieces. I've recorded most of them and posted them in full on youtube with the exception of Scarlatti's Sonata in E maj. K. 380. You will find lots of records of that on Youtube.
SFChristo 1 year ago
CONNECT IT TO DISTORTION PEDAL! METALLLLL
GrafTrahula 1 year ago
something interesting i have noticed is that with the harpsichord and celesta, you can hear the mechanisms within the instrument working as well as the actual note (especially with a celesta). but with a piano, you hear no such sound. why is this? is it simply because mechanisms needed to bring a hammer in contact with a string are less complex than to pluck a string or hammer a plate, and are therefore more silent? sorry if this is irrelevant but i am genuinely curious.
Jynx215 1 year ago
@Jynx215 Hello. Now what you are talking about is called "action noise". That could be the sound of the keys themselves to the mechanism inside. On the harpsichord there is also the sound of the jack falling back into place once you let go of the keyboard. The piano is much louder than the harpsichord and perhaps part of that covers up some action noise. But in reality the piano action is much much much more complex than the harpsichord's and clavichord's. (which is simple)
SFChristo 1 year ago
can u plai power hungry fool on harpsichord if u kan then please tape it and put it on youtube
lotasota 1 year ago
Thanks
Carlosrenti 1 year ago
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nicksum29 1 year ago
very nicely done i love the harpsichord
talley403 1 year ago
i've always loved the sound this instrument makes. i play bass guitar and acoustic guitar (don't really play electric because i'm more a rhythm guy than solo). i have always wanted a harpsichord, ever since i was a kid. just love the sound it makes and how full it sound when you harmonize on it. just really amazing/different sound.
thanks for the video!
5ch3nk 1 year ago
Didn't know anything about harpsichords before.
I'm actually really fascinated by them now.....
sumchiya 1 year ago
Great 101 lecture thanks :)
tunnis7us 1 year ago
I have a question: What is the average price of a double manual harpsichord? Single?
Thanks
Tenifus 1 year ago
@Tenifus Hello, thanks for your interest. There is not enough room here for my complete answer but if you read this video's description, you will see FAQs. Read the last 3 or so. Basically, beware cheaper instruments. Not to sound elitist but I have had a couple myself and they are very frustrating.
SFChristo 1 year ago
Excellent introduction for the novice. Thank you for the fine technical and musical demonstration.
49bobbyk 1 year ago
So are the strings on the instrument gut or metal wire?
jeiluifang 1 year ago
@jeiluifang Hello, please read about this in the FAQs above.
SFChristo 1 year ago
That would be a pain to restring
kenshin1224 1 year ago
@kenshin1224 Luckily that is not done unless a string breaks.
SFChristo 1 year ago
I have been playing the harpsichord at my school, but the keys seem a lot smaller, almost like a clavichord, is this just a different style?
iamajibber 1 year ago
@iamajibber The keys on my harpsichords are 5" long versus 5.75" on my piano. And that does make harpsichord keys seem much smaller.The span of the octave is also just a bit more short on the harpsichord. But that really adds up if you are leaping a few octaves up or down on the keyboard.
Some instruments based on older harpsichords probably have even smaller keys.
SFChristo 1 year ago
@SFChristo Thanks, I will have to ask more about it. It is such a great instrument, I am a piano player and just started playing it. I love it death. Thanks for this video i really enjoyed it.
iamajibber 1 year ago
@SFChristo Well... most harpsichord players use the small spacing as an advantage compared to pianos in terms of easy spacing. (playing quick keys and reaching far keys that are rather impossible to reach in piano.) hence that's why most harpsichord scores (like allegros) are always played at a high tempo and have really frustratingly agitating compositions. (they're so quick i have to play at a slow rate)
bigjoe777 1 year ago
I wish I could buy one... Greetings from Greece
douskara 1 year ago
@douskara Γειά σου από το Σαν Φρανσίσκο!
SFChristo 1 year ago
@douskara : Do not get it on the case of your piano on account of the ugly stain it might impose. If you get it into the mechanism it may attract the dust and hence clog the mechanism and so stop notes from being palyed.
MusicPredominates 1 year ago
i dont care if its a cheap one or not a harpsicord is a harpsicord, and they all make amazing music... i love harpsicords i wish i had one!!!!:(
hecate141 1 year ago
Where can I buy a two keyboard harpsichord like yours?
Eleanorback 1 year ago
That a cheap one. 15,000 dollar ones are cheaply made.
vacuumlover1 1 year ago
@vacuumlover1 Even if you are joking around, please do not dishonor the memory of the two great men who built these harpsichords. Don Angle was a meticulous builder and a wonderful musician (who played popular music, ragtime etc on the harpsichord). He was also a personal friend.
SFChristo 1 year ago 11
interesting how this good videos have low view ratios..
SarunJunior 1 year ago
i want one
bendesmond66 1 year ago
Very informative, thanks for posting this!
greenjeansmjr 1 year ago 6
i've always wanted to know how it works. And now I know why it sounds soo frickin' similar to a harp! ^.^
BoeingB17FF 1 year ago
in the s XVIII the cords were made of iron or animal stuff?????
rosasbarrocas 1 year ago
@rosasbarrocas I believe they were made of metal. But violin strings were made from animal gut and THAT causes a very different sound.
SFChristo 1 year ago
Your video and sound presentation is very personal, educational and great quality. Thank you for sharing this. I'm honestly not the greatest fan of harpsichords and all its variants, but they take a lion's share of keyboard instrument development and repertory. I will have to say my favorite of all harpsichords would be the single-strung 'clavicytherium'. Thanks again.
yermyahu 1 year ago
@yermyahu Thank you. A very very good musician, teafruitbat (Ryan Whitney), has JUST gotten a clavicytherium. So you might check out his channel as he will be posting recordings there.
SFChristo 1 year ago
For years I had wondered why some "piano's had what I called a Gothic sound. Now I know they were Harpsichords!
Thanks for taking the trouble to post this video. I want one, but first I must learn to play!
fx02zbn 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You have two harpsichords in your house??? Totally jealous =)
Very helpful video, though!!!
music4life253 1 year ago
You have two harpsichords in your house??? Totally jealous =)
Very helpful video, though!!!
music4life253 1 year ago
Very cool! Never knew what one was till now. Thx
hotdog2020 1 year ago
This tutorial was truly facinating! I have always wanted to know how they work being a pianist! Thank you very much!
icxcrex 1 year ago
damn thats so cool. when i look at it i imagine when they invented it they were trying to make a high-tech automatic guitar
tarantism 1 year ago
@tarantism I often think of it as a keyed guitar.
SFChristo 1 year ago
Great video. I was always curious how the plucking action of a harpsichord worked. Now I know. Thanks
eddiekern 1 year ago
Sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing that. I've always wondered what the EXACT mechanical difference was between a piano and a harpsichord was.
StephenArgonneProd 1 year ago