Harpsichord tuning: 17th-Century regular...morphed to Bach's

[Blueaspen391]

hi everybody. I would be happy to play Bradley's arrengement of "twinkle twinkle little star". Answering to my request he told me that a scan of it can be found in his web. The problem is that he has more than one web and I've spent a lot of time searching for that scan with no success. I would be very thankful if anyone can help me find it. thanks.

[DarekHB]

Sooooo, why are dissonant notes bad? Other than the fact that non-musicians think you're playing the wrong note because it doesn't sound right to them.

[skruvmaejsel]

i like how you actually play the instrument with odd intonation rather than just jamming the shit out of it like every other experimental music

[CembaloMeister]

I thoroughly enjoyed your practical representation of one of the many tuning systems available to us today. One thing we have in common is that I too own (or will soon; currently being built) a harpsichord built by Anne Acker. You should pursue this area of study as I can see your dedication to the musicological impact it has. This dedication can result in a new, 21st Century book on tunings/temperments of all early keyboard instruments. Thank you for this. -Sean Price

[mrmolinodelahoz]

To me, all the tunings sound good although I realize that there are differences.

Look at the Froberger title pages and try to make sense out of those Squiggles.

I think that the ear can adjust to many things.

After playing a slightly out of tune harpsichord for 5 minutes- it doesn´t sound out of tune any more. ?

[grzegorz19plonka]

Cool tuning

[yyjchou]

Thanks for putting this video up! You helped me greatly here: "...Bach (...) modification ... keeps the notes F, C, G, D, A, and E at their usual positions... alters B and the five accidentals to carefully controlled intermediate positions where they can serve more smoothly with additional note-names......" My first harpsichord teacher taught me that verbally but I forgot the details as I didn't have a harpsichord until about 13 years later after that lesson.

[edcerc]

i kind of like the more disonant keys sometimes. It gives it a unique sound

[pureaKero]

Thanks for this post! I have a quiz on tuning and temperament tomorrow in melody and counterpoint and this video really helped me out!

[NemgoHart]

i so want to learn to play the harpsichord its my favorite sounding instrument

[titighghghg]

thebpl : little question i wanna replace my piano with a harpsichord..

for me it seems like you're tuning the instrument for every piece?? is it what you're supposed to do ??

that's too much time consuming ..

[thebpl]

I fear you've missed one of the main points of this video (and my broader research, see the "larips" web site), which is:

Having made the demonstrated modifications off the old system, you can leave the instrument set up this way to play anything. It wipes out the limitations of the older systems, and facilitates music in all keys/scales.

I usually leave this harpsichord tuned this way almost all the time, unless I'm seriously working on much earlier repertoire (from, say, 1630 or before).

[titighghghg]

I had missed the point!

thank you.. it helped me to understand..

if I just wanna play some baroque..Bach/Rameau/Couperin/­Scarlatti no need to do this ?

thanks

[Watermark0n]

Equal temperament is fine for playing Baroque music. If you want to be uber-authentic you can tune it to meantone, but it's not truly necessary.

[adrwLe]

someone plz tell me what is the highest note and the lowest note on the harpsichord, im doing some research on it and a bit about its register of keys ty. :)

[thebpl]

There is no standard. Every harpsichord is different. Many go only from C (2 octaves below middle c) up to d''' (2 octaves above middle c).

Some instruments have only a few notes beyond that, in either direction. It "never" goes lower than FF, or higher than g'''; rarely beyond GG and f'''.

Some have an incomplete bass, lacking the chromatic notes such as low C# and Eb.

Mine here, as you can see, goes from BB up to d'''.

[adrwLe]

thank you =)

[apossibleworld]

I haven't seen any other actual demonstrations of different temperaments compared back to back, with the same piece played in different keys within those tuning systems. Bravo and thank you so much for this! I'd love to see more. And a note to everyone who thinks that this sounds "out of tune": the more you learn about and listen to our usual Equal Temperament, you realize that we are always out of tune. I love how these historical tunings sound.

[damildlyshreddah]

Hahaha this was an interesting listen

[xwsftassell]

I really like it.

[richardre06]

a sound completely out of tone! very horrible to listen. I have been at a private museum but no one was so ruined! whit the sound! I've tried someone!

[hollahollagangsta]

Oh dear god! I'm glad we got away from that tuning!

This was super interesting. :)

[jennyferjoy10]

Does anyone know if that harpsichord comes in a kit form. I am a complete novice but have this dream of playing the harpsichord one day. What is the difference between a double and single keyed harpsichord. Any advice on this subject would be highly appreciated.

[thebpl]

This one was originally a Zuckermann kit, but built professionally by a harpsichord builder (Anne Acker).

A single manual harpsichord like this is adequate for more than 90% of the harpsichord repertoire. The second manual on some others is only a convenience, allowing quicker changes of registration or the (relatively rare) compositions where one has to play with one hand on each manual at the same time, for parts that cross. If there are two manuals, they play separate sets of strings.

[d1550bk]

there should be more vids about this, thanks for making this video!

[pianopera]

Very interesting video, thanks.

Btw I like your playing, nowadays there are not so many keyboard-players who can transpose (even quite easy) pieces...

[castroherman]

Great video, thank you for sharing.

[pauledunn]

Question:

Can somebody please recommend a really good harpsichord method book or something to improve at playing in the style of 17th/18th harpsichord players. Thanks.

[thebpl]

Ferguson's "Keyboard Interpretation" (1975), Troeger's "Technique and Interpretation on the Harpsichord and Clavichord" (1987), and Kroll's "Playing the Harpsichord Expressively" (2004) are all excellent in that regard. And, of course, take harpsichord lessons with qualified teachers....

[pauledunn]

Thank you very much. You've been very helpful.

[gbiHighContrast]

Great! Really helpful!

It's amazing how fast you retune; i have absolute pitch and even with electronic tuner it takes me more than 2 hours to tune my upright piano :)))

[silvertone953]

thank you!

it's very helpful to hear, not just read about, these issues!

[girge]

wow! wonderful. thanks a lot.

[lpluss]

very educational!

[EmdrGreg]

I heard no Wolf tones-- just a lovely vibrato...[Kidding-- kidding. I'm really kidding]. You have a great touch and the instrument has a gorgeous sound. Thanks.

[cesarsalgado1972]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Tuning issues are not easily understood in our computerized world...