Show PRECURSOR OF THE PIANO harpsichord in arrangement of keyboard board dand and strings resembled the th instrument in use today the was a stringed musical instrument in use to in the 16 iclal ill and centuries which in its ita form foria and ami in the arrangement of tile the Ley keyboard board and strings re resembled quibbled a pt piano but lit in aich the tone was produced by the llie plucking or snapping of tile tring by leather or quill points which ere set In jacks connected by bv leeis the keys in fuini it usually resembled a modern grand pianoforte though brill bilth square and upright varieties anre ere alao made the length ot of the kelbon keyboard rd ft as four to six and a half oc the number or of separate string t 11 lit lity ky y failed froin anin one to tow four son in Siv ludin 0 one ne little tunal an all atae abole abne the lie others tl lIs the latter variety was ii culled called a double harpsichord tin till lone va vias and tinkling ani of force was waa two were sometimes combia il 11 one for r sect oft effects the oher tor for lood leml Nu I 1 tuii erous lelOus teil ces usually cona connected eced with etli the jacks were introduced at it dif f event times to gecine in force and especially in ill quality I 1 these hese mechanisms which often to simulate the tone qualities of 0 arlous orchestral instruments nere ere uli usually lally controlled by lie near ar the keyboard tho the harpsichord tho though ugh essentially senti ally different front the lie pianoforte piano plano foite was it its immediate predecessor cessor before 1800 it was regu regularly regul aily lally used in all dramatic music especially in accompanying reci recitatives 19 and in orchestral music the conductor usually directed from ills his split seat at a hardic har harpsichord pIc hord placed amid the other instruments |