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A concert pedal harp typically has six and a half octaves. This is a very large harp, and most other types of harps have a much smaller range. Typical folk, Celtic or medieval harps range from two to six octaves. There are smaller harps having one or less, and some of the ancient professional instruments, which we see in art of the time, had less than one.

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14y ago
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11y ago

The number of octaves (The Compass)of a harpsichord is dependent on many factors such as age, builder and purpose. It can be generalized that the compass of the harpsichord grew as the instrument developed. The common compass specification on harpsichords range from 4 octaves to 5.5 octaves. The compass can be stretched to some degree if the builder chooses to add a Short and Broken Octave. This is incorporated in to the far left hand side of the keyboard which act as bass extensions for an instrument with a small compass. A 4 octave harpsichord can sound like a 5 octave harpsichord with a short and broken octave added. The configuration of the short and broken octave very by builder and era. Some harpsichords have two keyboards (Manuals) fashioned like a stair case. This means if the first manual had 4 octaves, then the second would have the same totaling 8 physical octaves. It is important to note that the compass should include the number of octaves on one manual and the span of pitch from the lowest note to the highest note. Generally the short and broken octave are incorporated in the number of octaves on the manual since they extent the pitch range. A builder or broker may denote the compass of a harpsichord as such: Compass: 2x4 1/2 FF-e

3. The instrument has Two manuals indicated by 2x, 4.5 octaves on each manual indicated by 4 1/2 and a pitch span of 2 F's below "Middle C" and 3 E's above "Middle C" totaling 4.5 octaves. A short and broken octave may be indicated as C/E to explain the pitch range and type of short and broken octave involved.

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8y ago

A good french horn player could span 4 octaves.

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Q: How many notes can a harp play at once?
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