What Is a Harpsichord? Exploring Its History and Sound

Ever since I started doing my Living Piano: Journey Through Time Historic Concert Experience - where I play concerts showing the development of the piano from the harpsichord to the early fortepiano and finally the modern concert grand piano in period costumes, one of the most frequent questions I receive are about the harpsichord. People are fascinated by its unique sound and interesting design. Today we are going to explore what makes the harpsichord special and how even though it’s related to the piano it’s a unique instrument. It’s hard to imagine a time before the piano was invented, yet years ago the harpsichord and the pipe organ were the keyboard instruments of choice.
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[@GroovyDominoes]

phil swift but in a another universe

[@Okuni_]

Phil Swift but he sells piano

[@suggestiveprincess]

He looks also a little (imo) like Mark Hamil

[@Clayton-vn6pe]

Swill phift

[@octaviolee8282]

I SAWED THIS HARPSICHORD IN HALF, and repaired it with only flex tape

[@lop2279]

Exotic Criminal I was gonna a day that

[@SteveCarras]

It's an instrument I heard 1967-`1971 in hit records! Love-"Da Capo" album Paul Mauriat and Orchestra-"Love is Blue" Doors-"Touch Me" Judy Collins-"Both Sides Now" Linda Rondstadt-"Long Long Time" Partridge Family-"I Think I Love You!" Badfinger-"Day after Day" then in 1990s "Strawberry Girl, Srar-f--r and others, by Tori Amos.

[@isabeld.paredes4923]

The harpsichord was indeed very popular from 1966-1972, but there were a few songs, like you wrote, from 1973 onward. Here are a few more examples: "The morning after" (from The Poseidon adventure, 1972, popularized by Maureen McGovern, 1973) "Wait 'til tomorrow" (from the children's show The Banana Splits, c. 1968-69) "You only live twice" (from the 1967 James Bond movie) "Windy" (the Association, 1967) ...and the list goes on

[@Kreege]

​@@isabeld.paredes4923 "golden brown" by the stranglers

[@wh4t3v3rblah7]

This is an interesting vid i didnt know the piano had a grand daddy

[@ADeadlierSnake]

This guy looks like Chuck from Better Call Saul (Michael McKean)

[@TheUncunningFox]

12th?

[@MyLittlePonyFan24]

so a harpsichord plucks the strings and a piano has a hammer hit them. cool, thanks for the info!

[@matthewmendez3632]

So is the harpsichord to the piano what the lute is to the guitar?

[@piano-link]

@@matthewmendez3632 But you can pick a guitar just as well.

[@NoirFan01]

Would have liked to see how it plucks

[@chanukahsingersforyahuwah7104]

Yes. The piano came later in instrumental history. It was originally called piano forte which is Italian for soft loud, because it could change volume unlike the harpsichord

[@sully1939]

WOW really?

[@tarkin1980apa]

Just watching this guy talk puts me in a better mood.

[@cryyuni]

Yea

[@babeena_gt_3645]

I love the sound of the harpsichord, it has a angelic sound to it

[@pianoman4036]

Yeah I agree I know how it sounds in person because I have a diginal piano and with that I can change the sounds of it, so I can change it to a harpsicord!

[@itsJelix]

@@pianoman4036 same i got a new one called yamaha p45

[@adaptercrash]

Me too but not when they play it like that, and we can sample it, cool intro sound

[@babeena_gt_3645]

@@pianoman4036 a real harpsichord hits so much better in the sound factor than the digital one. But close enough 😊

[@benjaminsmith2287]

When did keyboards go from large black keys with smaller white keys to the opposite that we have in today's keyboards and pianos? Anyone know?

[@HenkVeenstra666]

Benjamin Smith its because wood is less expensive than ivory

[@nihar1987]

That's because dark gaps in between the natural keys are easier seen in white keys so you get a better judgement of note intervals. Dark gaps on black keys would make them difficult to tell keys apart especially in dim light.

[@davidmdyer838]

Probably when ivory became more available. Colonialism.

[@brucealanwilson4121]

@@davidmdyer838 White keys are also made from bone.

[@brucealanwilson4121]

Some harpsichords also had pedal keyboards like organs. Sometimes just pulling down notes from the main keyboard, but some had a whole separate instrument controled by the pedalboard.

[@afrotrumpet2246]

This guy is basically Mark Hamill if he played piano.

[@dustyblack5048]

is that just because of his face? that only vaugely, other than that, i see not but a passing resembelence... if you squint maybe.

[@katiehelms8903]

Oh my gosh they have the same voice

[@BEAKER6868]

one of my favorite musical instruments. I wish it was more prevalent in today's music world.

[@davyroger3773]

Check out Vampire Weekends first album, they incorporate it really well

[@stevewalby3524]

Give Saint Etienne a try. They use harpsichords in a lot of their songs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpKopKCGrcxkbc0

[@zedlz]

rise and shine

[@BluegillBill]

he need to say "inconceivable"

[@Nobody-im2jh]

Yes, yes he does.

[@terrylight2863]

😂😂😂

[@jackbauer555]

i dont think he knows what it means

[@katiehelms8903]

@@jackbauer555 it doesnt mean what he thinks it means

[@jeffkrebs]

I wish I could see the mechanics of the instrument

[@linkkicksu]

I always thought of harpsichord music as sounding somewhat abrasive and sharp, but with that stop lever it's really gentle sounding.

[@BlurryBit]

Ok, so this is not about herpes. Excuse me!

[@TeshnosFire]

He sound a bit like Wallace Shawn from Princess Bride. :o Is it an accent?

[@carleighk1]

I LOVE Robert's happy voice and amazing attitude. As a music major writing a Music History Paper at 2am and hating my life right now, he definitely was able to lighten my mood and put a smile on my face, as well as provide some really helpful information. Thank you!!

[@tomlavelle8518]

A harpsichord is like the child of a banjo and a piano

[@theadventurer732]

@2:27 N O T E

[@MoskusMoskiferus1611]

Noote

[@markwalter1050]

We had a harpsichord at my college, in the corner of the voice instruction room. I used to sneak in at night and play it. 😁 There was also a baby grand piano in the gymnasium. :)

[@pianoman4036]

Well at least you sneaked in for a right reason. Thats the power of music.

[@Aenygma_]

"What is a harpsichord?" The king of instruments is what it is.

[@ricardomilos3464]

No organs are

[@ish9506]

So a harpsichord is basically a guitar as a piano?

[@mercoid]

Since I first truly realized my love of music more than 35 years ago through my discovery of Bach, the harpsichord has been my sonority of choice in relishing exquisite structures in the type of music that speaks to my heart. However, I am keenly aware that this preference is only meaningful and organically appealing to me as an individual. When I hear harpsichord, I hear beautiful, angelic singing. The fact that it is harpsichord sound is not the least bit relevant to the deep satisfaction I derive from the Music itself. I just prefer the sound of harpsichord for the type of music that is meaningful to me. This doesn’t mean I am incapable of experiencing a strong reaction to my music being well performed on other instruments. My spouse finds the sound “grating” and “nerve racking”..., intolerable!

[@leomiller2291]

How does a relationship between a harpsichord lover and a harpsichord hater work?

[@sebastianzaczek]

The intro music on a harpsichord!😄

[@pieterkotze1007]

nevermind I want a harpsichord now

[@Jumboobs]

2:00 me when i gangnam style dance in a slender man costume, causing a child to cry in terror

[@Trid3nt861]

Hearing a Harpsichord playing music makes me feel like holding up a cup of tea with a pinky in the air....... *FANCY*

[@pianoman4036]

Haha, yeah it does bring in a vibe that takes you back to the mid evil times.

[@HumanNature9870]

I saw one in a museum here in Puebla (Mexico). I wanted to know how it did sound like. Thank you for this review.

[@pianoman4036]

When I hear a harpsicord it feels like Im in the bid evil times, or something fancy.

[@Bl0ødy_Matcha]

He played the g note 3 times

[@iliveonatropicalisland6086]

Guess who's back

[@CloidGaming]

ok ok

[@Shaeith]

This was great - but I would have loved to hear you play more!

[@tobolulo]

The devil scratching his nails across a blackboard = the sound of the harpsichord.

[@quinton1110]

I somehow knew that intro would be on a harpsichord. Always wanted to play one.

[@pianoman4036]

Then just get a deginal piano! some of them you can just change the sound, also to a harpsicord like mine does.

[@laserdonkey6469]

I thought this was made up for regular show

[@awvalenti]

Nice video, but could you clarify the difference between the two keyboards? Do they sound the same? Can you play each on a different adjustment?

[@LivingPianosVideos]

There are more than one setting for each keyboard which can be change between or even during a performance.

[@gatesurfer]

Let's begin with terminology, a lot of which comes from organ. A keyboard is often called a "manual" or a "register." So this is a double-manual instrument. On double-manual instruments, the top manual is called the "front 8." The "8" is taken from organ, where the approximately 8-foot pipes were used to create notes in "regular" pitch, i.e., approximately A=415 for baroque pitch. The bottom keyboard is tuned the same, and is called the "back 8." In addition, many harpsichords, like this one certainly, has a "4," which is an octave higher. Again, that is from the organ, where the 4-foot pipes would create those pitches. "Two 8s and a 4" is a very standard configuration for a double-manual harpsichord. The "back" and "front" refers not to the position of the manuals on the instrument, but to the position of the little plucking mechanisms on the harpsichord, known as "jacks." You press a key down, and it lifts a "jack," which has a little sliver of material (originally bird quill but now plastic) that plucks the string. The jacks on the "front 8" are aligned close to the bridge of harpsichord. The jacks for the "back 8" are just a bit further -- maybe a half inch -- away from the bridge. In addition, the strings on the front 8 are shorter than the strings on the back 8. So you have a different pluck point, and a different length of string vibrating, resulting in a different timbre in the sound, although the pitch is the same. It's quite noticeable, once you know what you're listening to. The front 8 is like plucking a guitar string closer to the bridge. It's twangier, but in a way more delicate. So if you want to create a light, airy sound, you'd use the front 8. Whereas the back 8 is perhaps richer, smoother, more mellow. This is of course all highly subjective. But if you look through a Bach French suite, you'd get a sense that some movements are light and airy, like a minuet, for which you'd use the front 8, while other movements are more stately and elegant, like an allemande, for which you'd use the back 8. You can also mix and match the sounds, "coupling" the two 8s together, and even adding the 4 as well. That's the loudest sound you'll get out of a harpsichord without amplification. It's quite aggressive, with three plucks setting three strings off vibrating. You hear that combination most often in gigues and courantes, which tend to be the most energetic pieces among baroque dance works. Those pieces often sound "crunchy" rather than "plucky," especially in recordings, which unfortunately don't pick up the resonance of the harpsichord very well. How you combine the keyboards is often called "registration," another organ term. I will anticipate your next question and say that while it's very common to "change registers" between movements, it is very rare to do in the middle of a movement, at least in historically informed performance. You will not see a true harpsichordist playing Bach and jumping from keyboard to keyboard, except for the Italian Concerto, which alternates between orchestral "tutti" sections and "solo" sections. Also, you might be asking if a double manual instrument is required for the literature of the time. It is not. Harpsichordists play what's available, and if you only have a single-manual insrument available, that's what you play. The exception to this is Bach's Goldberg Variations, where he specifically wrote that it's for a double-manual instrument. That's because there's a lot of cross hands sections. It's kind of amazing that pianists can do it on one keyboard. Of course having a double-manual instrument is preferred. It gives you more choices. Hope that helps.

[@lemau8458]

Looks like phil swift, * THATS ALOT A DAMAGE *

[@stbest0514]

Wooosh Farmer how bout a little more

[@timothy6672]

the correct answer is - my favorite instrument =)

[@NinjadoPantanoPlays]

Robert dude you gotta play some songs while showcasing the instrument, some real RV 199 shit some fucking fire you know? Appreciate the video, lots of love your way

[@HierophanticRose]

I am interested if there is a tie between Harpsichord(and thus Piano) and eastern instruments like Santur, Qanun, Cimbalo, Koto, Zheng and other Tapped and Plucked Dulcimer Forms

[@robertsteinberger5667]

God only knows is played on a hapsichord with reverb, not?

[@sethjavorsky4247]

Uh it’s like the opposite of a piano... white sharps and flats, and the black normal keys

[@FarBeyondStrange]

And it plucks the strings when you press the keys instead of striking them.

[@latmaskenswe]

Taking a shot every time he says harpsichord. Dies

[@someguywithadog3239]

Harpsichord is a piano but the inventor of the instrument is colorblind

[@NotiFawkes]

Nothing beats the buzz of the harpsichord backing an orchestra

[@ChristianChase7]

I’m here because I started listening to Vampire Weekend lol

[@corvid8461]

I only know what a harpsichord is because of Futurama

[@newbie4789]

The fact that I heard about this instrument because of a Chinese video game...

[@mrmeckles9422]

Why in a harpsichord the natural notes are black and the sharps and flats are white

[@someguyfromarcticfreezer6854]

Sounds like normal piano have real hammer instead soft hammer.

[@frosteybytes4051]

I don't like the harpsicord + you waffle.

[@Soroboruo]

Nothing improves a song like a harpsichord solo, imo

[@baseddino]

Golden boy OP used it so I had to know

[@Daimon]

Nice to see you again Robert. How are you?

[@worldtravel101]

So thats what it looks like... i only know the button 😂

[@mercster]

Thanks for not playing the harpsichord at all, it really whets everyone's appetite.

[@pugsabi]

Thanks for saving me time

[@sipol426]

He looks like if dr sturgis from Sheldon grew hair

[@HELLH0WND]

Ok - Now do the solo from In My Life.

[@thomasciul8932]

That's not a harpsichord. It's a castrated puano

[@DanielFaridMusic]

Flexchord ~piano man phil swift

[@adrianrubi5012]

Are these still being manufactured?

[@domukelis]

Great video, thank you for sharing

[@thomasciul8932]

That's not not a harpsichord. That ine of those horrible 20th century german plucking pianos 😢

[@LivingPianosVideos]

You may be pleased to know that my personal harpsichord is a more authentic three rank two manual French model instrument. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooe4aIGihd6lrsUsi=BVpakqAYiF16ZACc

[@senseishikakaibutsu]

The instrument in every good horror movie

[@coolman035]

It's like a piano harp, go figures

[@tylerjames1716]

Cool instrument. This guy is a nut lmao

[@raymondtheredpanda]

ONLY 3K LIKES!??!?!?!?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?

[@fktx3507]

Sounds like a broken midi file.

[@thebetergede]

Something wrong with this video? cannot watch it.

[@bwootton1988]

Lego set 10305 bought me here

[@Ok-cd9gg]

chuck from better caul saul

[@AVarshaAndersonss-ys1kq]

Thanks for this Robert

[@dukinukireal]

2:00 grayfruit moment

[@angelganchegui7448]

En Español

[@thiendao9598]

Finally , after all those years , I knew what was this royalty commonly used tune called what

[@fancydeer]

why does that harpsichord look like it's on a greenscreen?

[@kaneda015]

nice hair

[@east_bay_transit_nerd]

at school some people visited and brought a harpsichord that they later let us play on, and let me tell you when you press down on one key you can feel it plucking the string, like if you were to lightly press on one note you'll feel resistance, and then press it harder you get a sound

[@binneboi5458]

He hesitated before hitting the harpsichord hard, he must really like that piano.

[@ivan868]

Stop talking and start playing! :)

[@AndweleHarris]

I like his enthusiasm..it's like he's trying to keep the attention of a hyperactive child...love it!

[@kalipso49]

that U are from the west coast,, Hmm! what do U suggjest for rock and roll harpsacord. I think Handel is the man

[@matthewtorossi616]

thanks for the info, very helpful. very enjoyable

[@K._Oss]

And also made 60s British pop more interesting

[@jaxnean2663]

You should have showed the mechanism inside

[@raffajelchannel9474]

Im here from PvZ2 Dark Ages music

[@heyitsmeobama4335]

2:00 pog

[@michiganmandolinorchestra8830]

What gives the notes their “sizzle?” Is it because of how the strings sit on its own saddle?

[@LivingPianosVideos]

The strings are plucked in a harpsichord giving a characteristic bright attack of notes.

[@BudderB0y2222]

What is he trying to sell me

[@petarjovanovic6063]

Whwre can I steady harpsicord in USA,bicouse i am moving to the Maryland. And i finish primary school for piano...

[@finden3362]

The intro scared me

[@wildanS]

You're a talker...

[@froukjewijbrandi3486]

Beautiful!

[@jacknguyen7004]

nice

[@kalipso49]

THX!

[@huma19]

Me: more interested in the add about playing Queen songs with simply piano app

[@tinyodin]

Yet another way to turn the white keys into black keys

[@pieterkotze1007]

At first, I didn't know what a Harpsichord looked like and then when I saw it I was like... everyone else: meh. me: EVILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@marshacreary2442]

Reminds me of an organ

[@sandrobruni7575]

Ordering breadsticks at Olive Garden

[@theoracle2877]

Nice rug...almost believable 😆😆😆