clavichord
Early keyboard instrument
A clavichord is a keyboard instrument popular from the late medieval period through the 18th century, producing soft tones by striking brass strings with small metal blades called tangents.
Unlike the harpsichord, which plucks strings, the clavichord's direct contact allows subtle dynamics and vibrato.
Its quiet sound suited private practice and intimate settings but couldn't fill concert halls, leading to its displacement by the piano.
Line touching curve once
- stringsThin flexible lines
- keysLock-operating instruments
- soundboardTone-amplifying wooden surface
- fretsWorries or string dividers
manual · ebony · ivory · case · bridge · dampers · keyboard · action
Early hammer-action keyboard
Early hammer-action keyboard
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- spinetSmall plucked keyboard
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
baroque · music room · salon · pedagogy · consort · museum · restoration
Simultaneous independent melodies
- fugueContrapuntal musical form
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- polyphonySimultaneous independent melodic lines
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
continuo · basso · chamber music · allemande · sarabande · gigue · partita · prelude
Closely personal or private
delicate · expressive · whisper · muted · tender · dynamic range · pianissimo · domestic
Oscillating pitch effect
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- fingeringNote-playing hand technique
- articulationClear vocal expression
phrasing · ornaments · trill · mordent · legato · staccato · practice · musicianship
tangent
Line touching curve once
- stringsThin flexible lines
- keysLock-operating instruments
- soundboardTone-amplifying wooden surface
frets · manual · ebony · ivory · case · bridge · dampers · keyboard · action · temperament
fortepiano
Early hammer-action keyboard
fortepiano
Early hammer-action keyboard
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- spinetSmall plucked keyboard
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
renaissance · baroque · music room · salon · pedagogy · consort · museum · restoration
counterpoint
Simultaneous independent melodies
- fugueContrapuntal musical form
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- polyphonySimultaneous independent melodic lines
sonata · continuo · basso · chamber music · allemande · sarabande · gigue · partita · prelude · toccata
intimate
Closely personal or private
quiet · delicate · expressive · whisper · muted · tender · dynamic range · pianissimo · domestic · private
vibrato
Oscillating pitch effect
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- fingeringNote-playing hand technique
articulation · phrasing · ornaments · trill · mordent · legato · staccato · practice · musicianship · sensitivity
- European instrumentsaccordion, bagpipes, balalaika, bandura, bodhran
- instrumentsguitar, guitars, piano, pianos, drum
- keyboard instrumentspiano, organ, spinet, virginal, synthesizer
- Baroque MusicBach, Vivaldi, Handel, Vivaldi Four Seasons, cantata
- early instrumentslute, viol, recorder, sackbut, rebec
- Keyboard Concertospiano concerto, concerto, piano, fortepiano, organ
clavichordharpsichord
Plucked-string keyboard instrument
pipe organ · church organ · piano · fortepiano · synthesizer
clavichordpipe organ
Wind instrument with tuned tubes
grand piano · church organ · concert grand · brass instrument · drums
clavichordsynthesizer
Electronic sound-generating instrument
electronic keyboard · digital piano · electric organ · keytar