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1. History: In Europe, between about the 14th and 18th centuries, two keyboard instruments were popular。The harpsichord is a keyboard instrument in which the strings are plucked, rather than hit with a hammer (which is the mechanism for the piano, a more recent development). The distinctive sound of the harpsichord creates an almost immediately association with the baroque era.d. Both instruments are known to us as clavichords because they are considered the predecessors of the piano. The pronunciation principles of the two clavichords are different from each other. The harpsichord uses a mechanical structure connected to the keys to pull a tension rod. Each tension rod is connected to a plectrum made of quills, and the plectrum plucks the strings to produce sound. |
2 Structure: quills or leather pipes are used to pluck the strings for pronunciation. There are generally two layers of keyboards, the first layer is used for playing, and the second layer is used for transposition. It has 4 stops and was a solo instrument during the Baroque period. At the top of the other side of the post is a small piece of felt that acts as a damper. When the key is pressed, the post lifts and the plectrum plucks the strings. When the key is released, the post falls back, but the special, rotatable plectrum no longer moves as it passes over the strings. When the keys are at rest, the damper contacts the strings, preventing them from making sound. Therefore, the harpsichord only sounds when the keys are actually pressed, and it does not continue to sound after the keys are released. And the player cannot change the strength of the piano by changing the pressure of the finger
How the harpsichord works video >>>>>>
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3. Features: In terms of sound production principle, the harpsichord should be a plucked string instrument. Because the harpsichord uses plucked strings to produce sound, its timbre is crisp and thin, not as solid as the sound of a piano. In addition, the volume of the harpsichord is smaller than that of the piano, and it cannot make huge dynamic changes like the piano.
Sound example  (Refer a video）
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4. Examples of Morricone's music
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