Harpsichord vs Piano: How Different Are They Really?

HARPSICHORD VS PIANO / What’s the difference between a harpsichord and a piano? Watch this video to find answers to questions like “How does a harpsichord sound different from a piano?” and “How does a harpsichord work?”.

This video is about all the differences between a harpsichord and a piano. While they might look similar to each other, the harpsichord and the piano are actually completely different instruments and today’s video will show you how! The main difference can be found in how a harpsichord makes sound, but there are also a bunch of other differences between a piano and a harpsichord that you might not know about.
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RELATED RESOURCES AND VIDEOS:

“HOW DOES A GRAND PIANO WORK? - PART 1”:

“HEAR THE WORLD’S OLDEST PIANO AT THE MET MUSEUM”:
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[harpsichord]

Thanks so much for watching! What else do you want to know about the harpsichord? Leave me a comment to let me know!

Oh, and at 0:24 I totally meant to say "the harpsichord is older than the piano" instead of the other way around. Whoops!

[erikkrabbenbos]

"The piano is older than... Wait... Where's my coffee..." 😅

[Talltrees]

Do one comparing the HC, the piano and the organ. All keyboard instruments but different. One percussion (piano), another plucked (HC) and another wind based (organ).

[RockStarOscarStern]

There's actually a Velocity sensitive Harpsichord which has a slightly modified action and quite recently Stuart and Sons made a 108 Key Piano with a Full 9 Octave range

[RockStarOscarStern]

You know the Baldwin Company made an Electric Harpsichord, it's a Single Manual Single 8 ft Rank Harpsichord with Pickups above the strings. The model is CW80 and the amplifier it plugs into has a Double Volume Pedal system so you can actually controll the Dynamics like you would on an Organ.

[hummit]

Thanks for a great video! I didn't know that the harpsicord plucks strings until today!

[frankdamelio]

Thanks for sharing this! I just started listening to Baroque music, and I learned about the harpsichord. It has such a sweet sound.

[instamtic]

Thank you for making this wonderfully informative and fascinatingly interesting introduction to the Harpsichord and the Piano ❤

[maryerb]

This is very interesting and I had no idea! By all means share your learning!

[RockStarOscarStern]

I did find Realized Continuo parts of Corelli's 12 Violin Sonatas done by another composer named Antonio Tonelli.

[scottcook]

Listened to love is blue 1968 to be introduced to harpsichord watch ed sullivan love is blue 1968 its great

[MrMalvolio]

The harpsichord is, simply, a “”LESS EXPRESSIVE”” instrument without the obviously superior affective range of the piano, *even* of that of the early pianoforte, or fortepiano (depending on one’s preference). One can hit a note harder or softer on a piano, and expect a correspondingly harder and longer-lasting or softer and briefer tone. On a harpsichord, it generally does not matter how hard or soft one’s depressing of the key is; since a string is being plucked, it makes the same tone regardless of the force applied to depressing of the key. This is actually *why* the first pianos (which had only 58-60 keys, like the harpsichord, encompassing 5 octaves of 12 notes each)——were called either “pianofortes” (meaning “softs and forceful note possibilities”) OR fortepianos (meaning “forceful note and soft-note possibilities”——-from Italian *piano”= soft; and “forte” meaning “strong”); this name subtly suggested that the piano might indeed be an “evolutionary improvement” on the harpsichord; indeed, a pianoforte sounds louder and can play almost *any* harpsichord composition, whereas the obverse is certainly not true.
Nevertheless, this “evolutionary” narrative * IS* false: the harpsichord and pianoforte shared merely a “housing;” their “actions”——mechanisms for producing sound—-were unrelated, and each instrument had its place for a time. In fact the two instruments happily coexisted thru the Classical Era and up until the early Romantic Period.

[RockStarOscarStern]

There are Pedal Harpsichords and Pedal Pianos too which can play Piano Music, Harpsichord Music, Organ Music, you name it.

[memyopinionsche]

With all the movies based on the history on classic composers like Mozart.
I've always noticed that the piano they were playing on sounding more different than a regular piano.

I would say sounding more higher pitched?
If that's the term I have to use.

But sounding way more different.
And also notice the harpsichord piano the little smaller.
than a regular piano.

So I guess the strings are plucked then hit. I guess that's why they sound different.

I never knew.

[TheBinaryWolf]

Thanks for the excellent explanation. When I write for harpsichord, I have an innate desire to add accents and staccato marks because my primary instrument is flamenco and classical guitar; so I refrain...unless I feature the instrument, and the orchestra enters a soft accompaniment section or tacets. I also exhibit my bias by writing in the lower mid-range as it renders a richer, guitar like tone.

[Browncoat-K]

Thank you for this informational video! It's great for homeschool.

[cutchmaster]

Excellent video. Great info and demonstrations. Thank you.

[NurseDavis]

Do you have any opinions on playing bach on harpsichord vs piano? Or clavichord or organ?

[darrenserra]

did i hear correctly? at :24, you said, "the piano is older than the harpsicord"....

[willemvandernest]

He Harpsichord sounds so pure in contrast with the piano