Douglas -- out of the many hundreds (thousands?) of videos of construction projects that I've watched on TH-cam over the years, that was one of the most impressive and lucid ones that I've seen. And the results of your work are truly impressive. Well done!
Wow! I just found your channel and I can't give you enough likes! I come from a musical family and am a violinist. My father was a musician and owned a music store for 35 years. Every summer, my dad's workroom was filled with stringed instruments from all of our county's schools. I loved to just stand in the doorway and smell the wood and rosin as my dad cleaned each instrument and replaced bridges and strings. I miss that and I miss him, dearly. However, I recently went to his store (now a curio shop), and I swear I could smell the rosin, LOL! Dad would have loved your channel and I know that I will have him in mind as I watch more of your videos. I can't wait to see the other instruments that you've made. SUBSCRIBED!
To expand on that and explain why, the -ino ending in Italian is a "diminutive", ie. it "shrinks" the thing it comes after. A sopranino recorder is smaller and higher than a soprano. "Ottavino" is also another name for the piccolo flute, so called because it plays a whole octave up from the written music. Anyone playing on an ottavino harpischord would likely be playing tunes notated for an instrument pitched an octave or two down, hence the name.
Bravo, Douglas! Keep up the great work! I think it'd be a lot of fun to build a harpsichord, but my mind addles at the thought of just how long it would take. And, I can't even quantify the amount of tenacity required either. Kudos for a job well done!
(Apologies in advance if you've already covered this in one of your videos that I haven't seen yet about building another harpsichord.) Looking at the keys of the lowest octave, I wonder if the original in the museum had a short/broken octave. Lowest note E doesn't guarantee, but is a clue favoring, the E actually corresponds to the C below that; F is as normal; but then the F♯ key actually plays the D below that; the G is as normal; and then the G♯ key actually plays the E below that. The overall effect is that you extend the range of the instrument downwards by a major third at the cost of missing some in-between notes that were considered to be not used as often. A similar system existed on some harpsichords appearing to have low B as their lowest note, which actually played G below that, with the C♯ and E♭ keys being likewise substituted. Some harpsichords and organs (presumably also ottavinos) had split keys so that you could get both F♯ and D, and both G♯ and E (or both C♯ and A, and both E♭ and B). These split keys looked very much like the split flat/sharp keys that appeared on some instruments (including some of the same instruments) higher on the keyboard to enable playing of flats and sharps that were not enharmonic in meantone tuning (12 tone equal temperament was known about back then, but it wasn't in favor then the way it is now, and music went through an intermediate stage of well-tempered tuning before equal temperament finally become dominant in the late 19th/early 20th Century). (And, although I have yet to see images or footage of one, supposedly some Viennese instruments had sort of a combination of both short/broken octave systems, and lasted into Haydn's time.) Short/broken octaves obviously aren't very user-friendly if you're expecting the whole keyboard to work the same way, but they saved on instrument cost in a time when remote key signatures were rare, _especially_ on pipe organs; on the plus side, if you _do_ manage to get used to playing on them, you can reach some intervals that you can't reach elsewhere on the keyboard unless you're Sergei Rachmaninov.
I don't know if the original Vaninus instrument had a short octave or not. It seems to me that if you're playing this little thing, you've already given up on having a decent range of notes to work with....
@@douglasnadel1028 True enough, but on the other hand, if you already have a short range, an extension by a major third makes more of a percentage difference than it would on a full-compass instrument.
Beautiful instrument! Thank you for sharing your process. I am a professional harpsichord and clavichord technician and appreciate all the details you put into this video.
I don't know why, but I am trying to make one myself. This video just shows me the intensity of how perfect everything needs to be. Thank you, by the way, no other video on TH-cam goes through the detail need to create one! Good luck to me... haa
This is a mini harpsichord at 4' which sounds from E4 to F6; you should make an octave lower version, a 8' instrument which will sound from E3 to F5!!!! Great one!!!!
That future researcher said about technology that old stuff gets exchanged for new stuff, and used electronic pianos as an example. Because the sound would be good enough! That's nonsense, I get goosebumps when I hear a real piano from time to time. The real deal should better never die out, instead we need to explore more mechanical instruments and solutions.
@@gustavgnoettgen On a good electronic piano, the sound is good enough, it's just lacking in terms of feel and they lack the uniqueness of the sound from one build to the other
@@gustavgnoettgen In the end it's up to the player, personally sound wise, either is good enough, but the acoustic piano has a special feel for me. I'd still probably prefer having an electronic one mainly because of its synth sound options for more Rock/Metal oriented playing
Fantastic work! It looks amazing, and I love that you made three of them at once! I had flashbacks to my teen years when my Dad and I built a clavichord kit, and to several years ago when I replaced the action on our Zuckerman harpsichord! Your approach to making the register is really clever and I like you how you approached the keyboard. Definitely going to check out your marquetry video. I don't suppose you have drawings for sale? I'm thinking I'd like to build one.
Thanks! I only made one Ottavino Virginal, but I made three Spiinets, see my other video th-cam.com/video/naSeYNwb4XU/w-d-xo.html I have plans and instructions for the Spinet, email me douglasnadel@gmail.com
@@douglasnadel1028 Funny - I was watching the spinet video on my TV while commenting on my laptop. This comment was meant to go there! Will contact you. Thanks!
What a magical little instrument! It makes me think a little of a music box, which, seeing that it is a box that makes music, I guess that's an appropriate term haha... Anyway, beautiful work.
One the roses, if properly made, the parchment acts as a tiny extra 'soundboard,' like a tiny snare drum! One instrument I had built (a cittern), the parchment added an entirely new 'ring' to the sound.
@@douglasnadel1028 I noticed they look a little bit conceptually similar to those cardboard latches that are used in egg cartons. The form of the cardboard latch is simply turned on its' head and I think it might work in a similar way. I thought I might try to whittle them in wood using a saw and wood carving tools or maybe buy them if they exist in the market place. I'm making a casing for a xylophone table at the moment. I made some of the keys with steel flat bar. They sound okay. I'm making note shaped feet on it a bit like Queen Anne or Cabriolet shaped wooden feet. The shape naturally occurs consistently and uniformly in iron bark gum tree in small branch limbs.
That's true, but it has to be strong enough to resist the pull of the strings. Plus it's really taking away from the space in the storage compartment, not the soundwell
This instrument is more like a mini Clavichord. I kinda want to design a Clavichord that can be 3D printed. This way, I can take a keyboard instrument anywhere and it can fit on my lap just barely. It won’t have 88 keys, but more like half of what a Piano has. Clavichords in real life don’t have 88 keys, either. It probably won’t sound good but it will be a 3D printed version and has rubber bands as strings.
Incredible stuff, Doug & apprentice! That sound-hole looks Celtic. Both cultures must have had access to the same "inspiration" (closed eye mushroom visuals?)!
Alpine Melody! I was leafing through my Alfred level one lesson book. "I know this song, I have played this song, a lot, but I can't remember the damn name."
Nice. I always wanted a harpsichord. Could not afford one, those I´ve seen for sale costs more than classic campaign furnitures. I usually have good luck with wood working, maybe I´ll should give building one a try. I´d like one in transportable size but I also like having full range of tones and the tonal modes. Do you know any site with good descriptions to draw such design influences from ? Guitarist caught shopping in a piano shop; What piano string gauges fits what tone ranges ? And whats up with double/triple strings on each note ?
You can buy a kit for a full-size harpsichord from Zuckermann's, these are still quite expensive. Renaissance Workshop Company sells kits and plans for a full-size spinet. Check out my video on building an Ottavino Spinet th-cam.com/video/naSeYNwb4XU/w-d-xo.html If you want to try building it, email me and I'll send you plans douglasnadel@gmail.com
I could never in a million years think my way through something like this.
Ohhhhhh, I bet after a hundred thousand years you'd be surprised!!!! 😜
Idk why but im trying to make one. Defined without all the fancy details!
Douglas -- out of the many hundreds (thousands?) of videos of construction projects that I've watched on TH-cam over the years, that was one of the most impressive and lucid ones that I've seen. And the results of your work are truly impressive. Well done!
It has the quality, timbre, intensity, and the sweetness of a soprano voice when it plays.
You know, for a "toy," that actually sounds beautiful!
Wow! I just found your channel and I can't give you enough likes! I come from a musical family and am a violinist. My father was a musician and owned a music store for 35 years. Every summer, my dad's workroom was filled with stringed instruments from all of our county's schools. I loved to just stand in the doorway and smell the wood and rosin as my dad cleaned each instrument and replaced bridges and strings. I miss that and I miss him, dearly. However, I recently went to his store (now a curio shop), and I swear I could smell the rosin, LOL! Dad would have loved your channel and I know that I will have him in mind as I watch more of your videos. I can't wait to see the other instruments that you've made. SUBSCRIBED!
Thanks so much for your wonderful comment!
A fascinating video. You are truly a wood working & musical genius!
Is it just me or is this the cutest harpsichord ever
Have built many instruments like this over the last 60 years and still do. Great work you have done on this. Thanks for sharing.
I'm thinking of getting into building minikeyboards, I suppose the easiest thing to start with would be a clavichord?
@@Fellow_Traveller1985 Yep.
I don’t think anything could’ve prepared me for how beautifully that turned out in the end. Tremendous work!
One of the most amazing things i have ever seen.
I realized at the end that I had my mouth open for almost the entirety of the video. Simply jaw-dropping!
FROM one, lover of the harpsichord from down under. Thank You
Amazing work! I think besides the absolutely fantastic craftsmanship, that's most adorable a harspichord can get
Beautiful, just beautiful! Thank You for your great skill and patience, making the World even more wonderful.
Mozart would say “Not enough notes.” Seriously that was very impressive.
Wow! Your instrument sounds so beautiful and clean!
This is amazing craftmanshift Douglas !
Absolutely fantastic. Now I want to buy one. Well done and good presentation. Thank you.
Contact me at dnadel@dh.org
You are truly gifted.
I mean I hope the next generation if any, will pass on all these skills.
absolutely incredible
Impressive work and a beautiful result!
This is some absolutely fantastic craftsmanship
Wow! The sound of the instrument is so pretty
Delightfully satisfying to enjoy the process and pick up some ideas for future projects, your sharing this video is most appreciated Douglas!
I’d love to buy one of these.
Yeah, I sold this recently to someone in Japan. I might build another Ottavino, this time a Spinet. Subscribe and stay tuned!
what a gorgeous instrument. beautifully built, and sounds fantastic. Well done.
My gosh its beautiful
This awesome in so many ways! Recently discovering the harmonium as an instrument makes this even more attractive to me!
Actually called 'ottavino' because it's tuned an octave higher usual.
To expand on that and explain why, the -ino ending in Italian is a "diminutive", ie. it "shrinks" the thing it comes after. A sopranino recorder is smaller and higher than a soprano.
"Ottavino" is also another name for the piccolo flute, so called because it plays a whole octave up from the written music.
Anyone playing on an ottavino harpischord would likely be playing tunes notated for an instrument pitched an octave or two down, hence the name.
SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!
man that was GREAT !
One of the coolest things I've ever seen!
Wow, just wonderful. Great work man.
That is really cool.
So beautiful! I’m obsessed with it 😍
lovely project and presentation. I would love to have a little ottavino
One of my Ottavino Spinets is still available, see video linked above, email me if you're interested douglasnadel@gmail.com
What a beauty!!
This is awesome! Very nice!
One could say you're skilled !! Just amazing !!
Wow your work is beautiful. This was really helpful thank you
I'm just in awe. This is an assault on the senses, beautiful and it sounds fantastic. Excellent, excellent work!
Wow man, this is looking very nice, the attention to detail in decorating it also is top notch!
Bravo, Douglas! Keep up the great work! I think it'd be a lot of fun to build a harpsichord, but my mind addles at the thought of just how long it would take. And, I can't even quantify the amount of tenacity required either. Kudos for a job well done!
Delightful and exciting. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Outstanding in all ways!!
Unbelievable work.This inspired me as I love the harpsichord type sound but then I realised this project would be far beyond my skillset lol
(Apologies in advance if you've already covered this in one of your videos that I haven't seen yet about building another harpsichord.)
Looking at the keys of the lowest octave, I wonder if the original in the museum had a short/broken octave. Lowest note E doesn't guarantee, but is a clue favoring, the E actually corresponds to the C below that; F is as normal; but then the F♯ key actually plays the D below that; the G is as normal; and then the G♯ key actually plays the E below that. The overall effect is that you extend the range of the instrument downwards by a major third at the cost of missing some in-between notes that were considered to be not used as often. A similar system existed on some harpsichords appearing to have low B as their lowest note, which actually played G below that, with the C♯ and E♭ keys being likewise substituted. Some harpsichords and organs (presumably also ottavinos) had split keys so that you could get both F♯ and D, and both G♯ and E (or both C♯ and A, and both E♭ and B). These split keys looked very much like the split flat/sharp keys that appeared on some instruments (including some of the same instruments) higher on the keyboard to enable playing of flats and sharps that were not enharmonic in meantone tuning (12 tone equal temperament was known about back then, but it wasn't in favor then the way it is now, and music went through an intermediate stage of well-tempered tuning before equal temperament finally become dominant in the late 19th/early 20th Century). (And, although I have yet to see images or footage of one, supposedly some Viennese instruments had sort of a combination of both short/broken octave systems, and lasted into Haydn's time.) Short/broken octaves obviously aren't very user-friendly if you're expecting the whole keyboard to work the same way, but they saved on instrument cost in a time when remote key signatures were rare, _especially_ on pipe organs; on the plus side, if you _do_ manage to get used to playing on them, you can reach some intervals that you can't reach elsewhere on the keyboard unless you're Sergei Rachmaninov.
I don't know if the original Vaninus instrument had a short octave or not. It seems to me that if you're playing this little thing, you've already given up on having a decent range of notes to work with....
@@douglasnadel1028 True enough, but on the other hand, if you already have a short range, an extension by a major third makes more of a percentage difference than it would on a full-compass instrument.
Beautiful instrument! Thank you for sharing your process. I am a professional harpsichord and clavichord technician and appreciate all the details you put into this video.
I don't know why, but I am trying to make one myself. This video just shows me the intensity of how perfect everything needs to be. Thank you, by the way, no other video on TH-cam goes through the detail need to create one! Good luck to me... haa
Hey check out my video of building an Ottavino Spinet, I have a construction manual available for it. douglasnadel@gmail.com
Amazing work all around from the planning to the execution, fantastic work doug
Inspirational! Thanks for sharing your talent!!
Yay!!! Great work! .....and not bad-sounding for something with no bass at all. A little jewel.
This is a mini harpsichord at 4' which sounds from E4 to F6; you should make an octave lower version, a 8' instrument which will sound from E3 to F5!!!! Great one!!!!
What a lovely quiet sound!
that was really funny with the kit-kat ebony, well done on the beautiful build
Hey, thanks. I do get hungry in the workshop sometimes...
Truly mesmerizing!
Beautifully done - but all that work for a two-octave keyboard!
Thanks for the inspirational video.
Very, vrey impressed.
beautiful we need more people bring things like this back very wonderful
That future researcher said about technology that old stuff gets exchanged for new stuff, and used electronic pianos as an example. Because the sound would be good enough! That's nonsense, I get goosebumps when I hear a real piano from time to time. The real deal should better never die out, instead we need to explore more mechanical instruments and solutions.
@@gustavgnoettgen On a good electronic piano, the sound is good enough, it's just lacking in terms of feel and they lack the uniqueness of the sound from one build to the other
@@lawabidingcitizen5153 not good enough for me
@@gustavgnoettgen In the end it's up to the player, personally sound wise, either is good enough, but the acoustic piano has a special feel for me. I'd still probably prefer having an electronic one mainly because of its synth sound options for more Rock/Metal oriented playing
@@gustavgnoettgen Agreed 100%
Wow... Knowledge skill patience determinarion you have. It and something more ..God bless you for this video ...
11:48 how does it sound like
Not going to lie I’m green with envy I am legitimately jealous. I wish I could do this. DAMN ID LOVE TO MAKE ONE OF THESE
Start with a simpler project and work up to it!
Wow awesome
So beautiful. You are certainly an artist.
una insparacón : con vida y lúcida de conversación !
Wooo I'd wanna buy it. I wish you make more!
loved the touch of humour with the kit kats 😂😂😂
Beautiful little instrument!
Your work is amazing!
The details and overall build of this harpsichord is insane....this is awesome
Stunning, ingenious work!
this is absolutely exquisite, I loved watching the whole process and it looks so beautiful!!! nice work
Thank you so much!
How charming...
Fantastic work! It looks amazing, and I love that you made three of them at once! I had flashbacks to my teen years when my Dad and I built a clavichord kit, and to several years ago when I replaced the action on our Zuckerman harpsichord! Your approach to making the register is really clever and I like you how you approached the keyboard. Definitely going to check out your marquetry video. I don't suppose you have drawings for sale? I'm thinking I'd like to build one.
Thanks! I only made one Ottavino Virginal, but I made three Spiinets, see my other video th-cam.com/video/naSeYNwb4XU/w-d-xo.html
I have plans and instructions for the Spinet, email me douglasnadel@gmail.com
@@douglasnadel1028 Funny - I was watching the spinet video on my TV while commenting on my laptop. This comment was meant to go there! Will contact you. Thanks!
What a magical little instrument! It makes me think a little of a music box, which, seeing that it is a box that makes music, I guess that's an appropriate term haha... Anyway, beautiful work.
That is absolutely beautiful, way to go
Maaaan. That is so impressive!!!
Amazing exquisite thing from wood.
One the roses, if properly made, the parchment acts as a tiny extra 'soundboard,' like a tiny snare drum! One instrument I had built (a cittern), the parchment added an entirely new 'ring' to the sound.
Thanks very much! The mechanism hammer strikes from beneath I presume(?)
Yes, the key lever lifts up a jack from underneath to pluck the string
@@douglasnadel1028 I noticed they look a little bit conceptually similar to those cardboard latches that are used in egg cartons. The form of the cardboard latch is simply turned on its' head and I think it might work in a similar way. I thought I might try to whittle them in wood using a saw and wood carving tools or maybe buy them if they exist in the market place. I'm making a casing for a xylophone table at the moment. I made some of the keys with steel flat bar. They sound okay. I'm making note shaped feet on it a bit like Queen Anne or Cabriolet shaped wooden feet. The shape naturally occurs consistently and uniformly in iron bark gum tree in small branch limbs.
My God! You are so talented!!!!
If you made the slanting liner( hitch pin liner) thinner you would free up the sound board and improve the sound.
That's true, but it has to be strong enough to resist the pull of the strings. Plus it's really taking away from the space in the storage compartment, not the soundwell
awesome project, and great workmanship!
That’s amazing and beautiful toy😊 Thank you
I wanna buy one of this
If you're serious email me dnadel@dh.org
Fantastic! Congratulations, and thanks for posting this video.
Excellent work - really impressive
thank you for uploading this
amazing work
This instrument is more like a mini Clavichord. I kinda want to design a Clavichord that can be 3D printed. This way, I can take a keyboard instrument anywhere and it can fit on my lap just barely. It won’t have 88 keys, but more like half of what a Piano has. Clavichords in real life don’t have 88 keys, either.
It probably won’t sound good but it will be a 3D printed version and has rubber bands as strings.
Beautiful work
totally fucking awesome
Youre super gifted, thanks for vid!
That is AMAZING! Do you sell your creations?
Contact me at dnadel@dh.org
Super impressed - do you build clavichords as well?
Incredible stuff! And what a lovely sound.
Incredible stuff, Doug & apprentice! That sound-hole looks Celtic. Both cultures must have had access to the same "inspiration" (closed eye mushroom visuals?)!
Beautiful!
Alpine Melody!
I was leafing through my Alfred level one lesson book.
"I know this song, I have played this song, a lot, but I can't remember the damn name."
Yes! I learned it from my daughter's Alfred book, too. Ha ha!
Дуже гарно зроблено ! вітаю- чудова та цікава робота!)
Nice. I always wanted a harpsichord. Could not afford one, those I´ve seen for sale costs more than classic campaign furnitures. I usually have good luck with wood working, maybe I´ll should give building one a try. I´d like one in transportable size but I also like having full range of tones and the tonal modes. Do you know any site with good descriptions to draw such design influences from ?
Guitarist caught shopping in a piano shop;
What piano string gauges fits what tone ranges ? And whats up with double/triple strings on each note ?
You can buy a kit for a full-size harpsichord from Zuckermann's, these are still quite expensive. Renaissance Workshop Company sells kits and plans for a full-size spinet. Check out my video on building an Ottavino Spinet th-cam.com/video/naSeYNwb4XU/w-d-xo.html
If you want to try building it, email me and I'll send you plans
douglasnadel@gmail.com