Nova Zhang
The harpsichord is a keyboard musical instrument that produces sound by plucking strings. The strings are set in vibration by a mechanism called a jack, which consists of a pivoted tongue with a quill, plastic or leather plectrum that does the plucking. The jack rests on the far end of the key and passes through a lower fixed guide and an upper slide or movable guide. When a key is depressed, the jack rises and plucks the string, creating a sound. The closer the plucking point is to the end of a string, the brighter the sound; the farther away from the end that a string is plucked, the fuller and rounder the tone becomes. Harpsichords usually have one string per note, but more elaborate ones can have two or more strings for each note, providing the ability to vary volume and tonal quality.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How the strings are sounded | The strings are plucked by a plectrum made from quill, leather, or plastic attached to a jack (a long strip of wood) when a key is depressed. |
| Soundboard | A thin panel of wood, usually made of spruce, fir, or cypress, that amplifies the vibrations from the strings. |
| Strings | There are usually two or more sets of strings, with each set producing different tone qualities. More elaborate harpsichords can have two or more strings for each note, allowing for greater volume and tonal variation. |
| Choirs of strings | Refers to multiple strings for each note. The player can control which choirs sound, and the number of choirs can vary from instrument to instrument. |
| Pitch | Strings can be at 8-foot pitch (normal pitch), 4-foot pitch (an octave higher), 16-foot pitch (an octave lower), or 2-foot pitch (two octaves higher, rare). |
| Tone quality | The tone quality depends on the distance along the string at which it is plucked. Plucking closer to the end of the string produces a brighter sound, while plucking farther away from the end produces a fuller, rounder tone. |
| Damper | A cloth or felt damper silences the string when the key is released and the plectrum falls beneath the string. |
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What You'll Learn
The harpsichord's plucking mechanism
The harpsichord is a musical instrument played using a keyboard. When a key is depressed, its back end is raised within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum that plucks one or more strings. This mechanism is called a jack, and it consists of a thin vertical strip of wood that rests on the far end of the keys. The jack holds a small plectrum, a wedge-shaped piece of quill or plastic, which plucks the string.
When the harpsichordist pushes down on a key, the back end rises, lifting the jack and forcing the plectrum to pluck the string. The jack passes through a lower fixed guide and an upper slide, or movable guide. The slide moves the jack towards or away from the string, depending on whether the string is to be plucked or not. A pivoted tongue at the top of the jack holds the plectrum, and a cloth or felt damper completes the jack, silencing the string when the key is released.
The harpsichord usually has two or more sets of strings, with each set producing different tone qualities. The ability to vary the volume and tone quality is achieved by having multiple strings for each note, which are called ""choirs" of strings. The press of a single key can be set up to pluck more than one string, increasing the volume. Different choirs of strings can also be designed with distinct tonal qualities, by having one set of strings plucked closer to the nut, producing a "nasal" sound quality.
The mechanism of the instrument, called "stops", allows the player to select different choirs of strings. This can be done by having a set of jacks for each choir and a mechanism for "turning off" each set by moving the upper register sideways so that the plectra miss the strings. Harpsichords with more than one keyboard provide flexibility in selecting which strings play, as each manual can be set to control the plucking of a different set of strings.
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The role of the soundboard
The harpsichord is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by plucking strings. The strings are under tension on a soundboard, which is mounted in a wooden case. The soundboard is a crucial component of the harpsichord, as it amplifies the vibrations from the strings, making the sound audible to listeners. Without the soundboard, the strings would produce only a faint sound.
The soundboard is typically made of wood, such as spruce, fir, maple, or walnut. It is placed beneath the horizontal plane of the strings, and the strings pass over a bridge that is glued to the soundboard. This bridge is another critical element, as it transmits the vibrations from the strings to the soundboard. The soundboard then efficiently transmits these vibrations into the air, creating the harpsichord's unique sound.
The soundboard also contributes to the tonal quality of the harpsichord. The strings pass over two critical points: the nut near their tuning pins and the bridge on top of the soundboard. The position of the string along the bridge affects the vibrating length of the string, which in turn influences its tonal quality. The closer the plucking point is to the end of a string, the brighter the sound; the farther away it is from the end, the fuller and rounder the tone becomes.
In addition, the soundboard can be decorated with elaborate printed paper or painted designs. These decorations were common on the soundboards of later harpsichords, especially those from modern-day Belgium, which were heavier and more ornate. The soundboard is an essential element in the harpsichord's construction, contributing to both the functionality and aesthetics of the instrument.
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How the pitch of the strings is adjusted
The pitch of the strings on a harpsichord is adjusted through a combination of mechanical elements and player technique. The harpsichord is a keyboard musical instrument in which strings are set in vibration by plucking. The pitch of the strings is influenced by various factors, including the tension, length, and plucking position of the strings, as well as the presence of additional strings or "choirs."
Firstly, the pitch can be adjusted by manipulating the tension on the strings. This is achieved by rotating the tuning pin with a wrench or tuning hammer. The tuning pin is held tightly in holes drilled in the pinblock or wrestplank, which is an oblong hardwood plank. Adjusting the tension alters the vibration frequency of the string, resulting in a change in pitch.
Secondly, the length of the vibrating portion of the string also affects its pitch. The string passes over a sharp-edged nut made of hardwood, and the section beyond the nut forms its vibrating length. At the other end of this vibrating length, the string rests on a bridge, another sharp-edged hardwood component. The position of the string along the bridge can be adjusted using a vertical metal pin, allowing for fine-tuning of the string's length and, consequently, its pitch.
Additionally, the pitch can be varied by utilising multiple strings or "choirs" for each note. More elaborate harpsichords may have two or more strings for each note, providing the ability to vary both volume and tonal quality. By plucking multiple strings simultaneously, particularly when they are an octave apart, a richer and more vibrant sound is produced. The player can control which choirs are sounded, allowing for dynamic expression and tonal variation during a performance.
Lastly, the pitch can be influenced by the position at which the string is plucked. The plucking mechanism, called a jack, consists of a narrow slip of wood with a pivoted tongue that holds the plectrum (originally made from quill or leather, now often plastic) that does the actual plucking. The closer the plucking point is to the end of the string, the brighter the sound; the farther away from the end, the fuller and rounder the tone becomes. This variation in plucking position allows for subtle changes in pitch and timbre.
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The function of the jack
The harpsichord is a keyboard musical instrument in which strings are set in vibration by plucking. The plucking mechanism, called a jack, rests on the key and consists of a narrow slip of wood with two slots cut into its top. The jack is an integral part of the harpsichord's distinctive plucking action. There must be at least one jack for each note, and larger harpsichords with several choirs of strings will have more. The jack body must be long enough to reach from where it rests on cloth at the back of the key, up between the strings.
The larger of the two slots in the jack holds a pivoted tongue from which protrudes the quill, plastic, or leather plectrum that does the actual plucking. The smaller slot holds a piece of cloth or felt that rests on the string and silences it when the key is not depressed. When the harpsichordist releases the key, the jack falls, and when the plectrum touches the string on the way down, it forces the pivoted tongue backward so that the plectrum can pass the string again without plucking it. Once the plectrum has passed beneath the string, a light spring made of bristle or metal pushes the tongue forward again.
The jack is a thin, rectangular piece of wood that sits upright on the end of the key lever. In the jack, a plectrum juts out almost horizontally and passes just under the string. The plectrum is normally angled upwards a tiny amount. Historically, plectra were made of bird quill or leather, but many modern harpsichords have plastic plectra. When the front of the key is pressed, the back of the key rises, the jack is lifted, and the plectrum plucks the string. The vertical motion of the jack is then stopped by the jackrail (also called the upper rail), which is covered with soft felt to muffle the impact.
When the key is released, the jack falls back down under its own weight, and the plectrum passes back under the string. This is made possible by having the plectrum held in a tongue attached with a pivot and a spring to the body of the jack. The bottom surface of the plectrum is cut at a slant; thus, when the descending plectrum touches the string from above, the angled lower surface provides enough force to push the tongue backward. All the jacks are held in alignment by the guide or register, which allows the appropriate jacks to rise when their key is played and then return freely by gravity when the key is released.
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The harpsichord's choirs of strings
The harpsichord is a keyboard musical instrument that produces sound by plucking strings. The strings are set in vibration by a mechanism called a jack, which consists of a narrow slip of wood with two slots. The larger slot holds a pivoted tongue with a quill, plastic, or leather plectrum that does the plucking, while the smaller slot holds a piece of cloth that silences the string when the key is not depressed. When a key is depressed, it raises a mechanism that plucks one or more strings.
More elaborate harpsichords can have two or more strings for each note, and these additional strings are called "choirs" of strings. This allows for variations in volume and tonal quality. The volume increases when the mechanism is set up so that pressing a single key plucks more than one string. Tonal quality can be varied by designing different choirs of strings with distinct tonal qualities, usually by having one set of strings plucked closer to the "nut," which produces a "nasal" sound.
The French adapted double keyboards to control different choirs of strings, making the instrument more musically flexible. German builders extended the sound repertoire by adding sixteen-foot and two-foot choirs. Harpsichord builders in different countries continued to innovate, and by the 16th century, there were regional variations. Italian instruments were lightweight and featured low string tension, while Dutch versions were heavier and allowed for a more powerful sound.
The pitch of the choirs of strings is specified using pipe organ terminology. Strings at eight-foot pitch sound at the normal expected pitch, while strings at four-foot pitch sound an octave higher. Harpsichords may also include a sixteen-foot choir (one octave lower) or a two-foot choir (two octaves higher, quite rare). The player can often control which choirs sound, allowing for dynamic expression in their performance.
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Frequently asked questions
The harpsichord is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by plucking its strings.
When a key is pressed down, its back end rises and lifts a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill, plastic or leather that plucks one or more strings.
A plectrum is a small, wedge-shaped piece that does the actual plucking. It is held by a pivoted tongue at the top of each jack.
A jack is a long strip of wood that rests on the far end of the keys. It passes through a lower fixed guide and an upper slide or movable guide.
The strings are under tension on a soundboard, which amplifies the vibrations from the strings. The soundboard is usually made of spruce, fir or cypress. The number of strings per note can vary, with more elaborate harpsichords having two or more strings for each note.
