Spinet
A spinet is a small kind of harpsichord. In Renaissance and Baroque times, and even later, people often had a spinet in their homes. The advantage of a spinet was that it was cheaper than a harpsichord and it also took up less room.
 A spinet | |
| Other names | Spinnet, Spinnit |
|---|---|
| Classification | Keyboard instrument |
| Related instruments | |
| Harpsichord | |
Sometimes the word used to be spelt differently, e.g. "spinnet" or "spinnit".
The spinet is different from a harpsichord because of the angle of the strings which run at an angle to the right. The whole instrument is a bit like a triangle in shape. The strings are arranged in pairs and the jacks (the quills which pluck the strings) are also in pairs in the wider gaps, plucking the string next to them.
Harpsichords may have several sounds (in the same way that an organ has several stops making different sounds). This is not possible on a spinet, which has one sound only. It is always an 8-foot sound (the notes sound at the normal pitch, never an octave higher). Spinets were useful for accompanying.
Spinet Media
Spinet built in 1765 by Johann Heinrich Silbermann. Bachhaus, Eisenach, Germany. Click for a more detailed view, revealing the use of bookmatched veneering.
Diagram showing the arrangement of jacks and strings in a bentside spinet. For explanation, see main text. In the picture above, the jacks are concealed beneath the jack rail at the center of the instrument.
Spinet by Zenti from 1637, now in the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels
A sumptuously decorated pentagonal spinet from 1577 by Annibale dei Rossi; 49 keys
Spinet piano made by Baldwin and sold under the brand name Acrosonic. Date of manufacture unknown.
A spinet piano manufactured by Gulbransen
Detail of the interior structure of the Gulbransen spinet shown above. The drop action, lying below the level of the keyboard, can be seen, as well as the extreme angling of the strings needed to provide sufficient length of strings within the limited case height. Click on image for expanded view.
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Other websites
Media related to Spinet at Wikimedia Commons