Clavichord
Th way the Clavichord is played is very similiar to the Piano however the tone of the Clavichord is much softer than the Piano and is too quiet to be played in a concert. For these reasons, it was a popular household instrument.
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The Clavichords is small rectangular keyboard instrument with a soft tone, used especially in private homes from the early 15th to early 19th centuries [13]. This instrument was used as an aid to composition. The clavichord produces sound by striking brass or iron strings with small metal blades called tangents. Vibrations are transmitted through the bridge(s) to the soundboard. In the clavichord strings run diagonally from the hitch pin rail at the left-hand end to tuning pegs on the right. Towards the right end they pass over a curved wooden bridge. The action is simple, with the keys being levers with a small brass tangent at the far end. The strings, which are usually of brass, or else a combination of brass and iron, are usually arranged in pairs, like a lute or mandolin. When the key is pressed, the tangent strikes the strings above, causing them to sound in a similar fashion to the hammering technique on a guitar. Unlike in a piano action, the tangent does not rebound from the string; rather, it stays in contact with the string as long as the key is held, acting as both the nut and as the initiator of sound. The volume of the note can be changed by striking harder or softer, and the pitch can also be affected by varying the force of the tangent against the string. When the key is released, the tangent loses contact with the string and the vibration of the string is silenced by strips of damping cloth [14].
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