Some music instruments that were once incredibly common, have become neglected and sometimes almost forgotten in modern music styles.
Let’s explore one of these amazing old instruments: the harpsichord.
What is a Harpsichord?
This is the piano predecessor, and was one of the most common instruments in the baroque era.
It looks very much like a piano with its keyboard and overall shape of the body, but the strings are plucked instead of hit with hammers.
This creates a very sharp sound, with a focused crisp attack, and a certain “metallic twang” character.
Harpsichord VST Plugins and Sample Libraries
How to use a Harpsichord in Your Music
The way it creates the sound also make it loose the variation “dynamics”, which is probably one reason it lost the battle against the piano in the end.
However, as a music composer you can use the rigid sound of the harpsichord to your advantage, as it creates a more tight, focused and distinct sound. A sound demands respect.
In fact, film and soundtrack composers have used the harpsichord for this very reason, to portrait that sense of authority and nobility.
For example: in the Pirates of the Caribbean, a harpsichord theme is played in the scenes from the ship of the royal British navy.