Name | Image | Tradition | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Celesta | France | The celesta is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. The "c" can be pronounced as an "s" or "ch". Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano. The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal (usually steel) plates suspended over wooden resonators. One pedal is available to sustain or dampen the sound. The celesta is a transposing instrument, sounding one octave higher than written. The celesta was invented in 1889 by the Parisian harmonium builder Auguste Mustel. | |
Keyboard Bass | United States | The keyboard bass is the use of a low-pitched keyboard or pedal keyboard to substitute for the bass guitar or double bass in popular music. | |
Spinet | France | A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. When the term spinet is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the bentside spinet. The bentside spinet shares most of its characteristics with the full-size instrument, including action, soundboard, and case construction. What primarily distinguishes the spinet is the angle of its strings: whereas in a full-size harpsichord, the strings are at a 90 degree angle to the keyboard; and in a virginals they are parallel to the keyboard, in a spinet the strings are at an angle of about 30 degrees to the keyboard, going toward the right. The image shows a bentside spinet built by Clavecins Rouaud, Paris. |
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