The name spinet may derive from the Latin spinae (“thorns”), perhaps reflecting the shape of the tiny quills or leather wedges that pluck the strings. In modern usage, “spinet” commonly refers to a short form of upright piano.
Does a spinet piano have 88 keys?
The spinet piano has 88 keys and is the smallest and shortest of the upright pianos. Its height is around 3' to 3'2” (36 to 38 inches) and 4'8” wide (58 inches.)
How does a spinet work?
Spinet pianos have what's called an indirect blow action (or drop action). The instruments are so small that they have to change the way the action works in order to fit them into the piano. With a smaller soundboard and shorter strings, the pianos are limited in the amount of sound they can produce.
Is a spinet the same as a harpsichord?
A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ.
Who created the spinet?
The oval spinet is a type of harpsichord invented in the late 17th century by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the Italian instrument maker who later achieved fame for inventing the piano. The oval spinet was unusual for its shape, the arrangement of its strings, and for its mechanism for changing registration.
Is a spinet and harpsichord?
spinet, small form of the harpsichord, generally wing-shaped, with a single set of strings placed at an oblique angle to the keyboard. The wing-shaped spinet may have originated in Italy during the 16th century; later it became known in France and England.
What is a small harpsichord called?
Ottavino. Ottavini are small spinets or virginals at four-foot pitch. Harpsichords at octave pitch were more common in the early Renaissance, but lessened in popularity later on. However, the ottavino remained very popular as a domestic instrument in Italy until the 19th century.
How can I tell if I have a spinet or console?
A spinet piano is a very small upright piano. Spinet pianos can be identified by their height. Pianos 40″ and shorter are spinets, 41″ 44″ tall are consoles, 45″ and taller are studio uprights. The tallest studio uprights (48″+) are often called professional or upright grands.
What makes a piano a spinet?
Spinets are vertical pianos, 35 to 40 inches tall, whose hammer mechanisms are located completely or partially below the level of the keys. This arrangement was invented in the 1930s to satisfy consumer demand for a shorter, more compact piano.
What size is a small piano?
Vertical Pianos Spinet - With its height of around 36 to 38 inches, and an approximate width of 58 inches, spinets are the smallest of the pianos. Given its size, it is the popular choice of many people who live in limited living spaces such as apartments.