Hello all, i know that harpsichords usually have assorted pedals for different functions but, out of curiosity, is there one that has the same effect as a piano's sustain pedal?
Thanks in advance
2007-08-04 04:34:09 · 5 answers · asked by Marionette 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Classical
No sustain pedal on a harpsichord! Those pedals are for registration changes, sort of like stops on an organ, or couplers, which link the SOUND of one keyboard to the other - sometimes, they link so that you are playing keyboard 1, and you see the key go down on keyboard 2. Sometimes yo see that on a pipe organ, too.
2007-08-04 09:49:04 · answer #1 · answered by Mamianka 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've not seen a harpsichord with a sustain pedal. Old harpsichords would be very unlikely to have one, as it was invented for the piano in the 18th century when harpsichords were going out of fashion. As a harpsichord has a relatively short note duration I doubt there'd be much point in including a sustain pedal anyway. As a harpsichord has a very different action to the piano I believe (though I'm not sure) a sustain pedal would have to do quite a different job mechanisms wise than one on a piano.
Trills were the main method used to achieve a sustained note in harpsichord music, and "hand pedalling" was used (and indeed is still used) for organ music (i.e. holding down the required notes manually) - this technique may well have been used by a harpsichordist needing a little extra duration of the notes - though it's so short anyway there is little point.
2007-08-04 04:59:41 · answer #2 · answered by Mordent 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No sustain pedal.
There are quills that pluck the strings insted of hammers like on a piano.
2007-08-04 14:24:08 · answer #3 · answered by musicgal1961 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No; a harpsichord's notes "die" immediately.
2007-08-04 14:18:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-08-04 04:41:42 · answer #5 · answered by Zerro 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋