The realsamples Lost Harpsichords Bundle features two of our historical instruments' libraries. They come with presets for Native Instruments™' Kontakt® (full version required). The samples are in 44.1 kHz/24-bit resolution.

Sound Demos

Listen to realsamples Lost Harpsichords Bundle here:

SoundCloud playlist

The following libraries are included:

1) German Lautenwerck

The German Lautenwerck library features a long-gone instrument: The lautenwerck - or lute-Harpsichord - was one of Johann Sebastian Bach's favourite instruments. It's basically a harpsichord, but with gut strings for a lute-like response. All notes bloom with full decay due to undampened strings (in contrast to harpsichords and pianos). This offers a vibrating and reverberant sound.

Despite 50 Lautenwerck builders in Germany alone, not a single instrument survived. After the knowledge had resurfaced, collector and musicologist Andreas Beurmann had a Lautenwerck rebuilt according to original drawings.

Like harpsichords, it is not touch-sensitive. However, no note will sound the same twice. Therefore, we captured eight samples per note. Furthermore, we recorded four key release sounds per note. The instrument is sampled its original Valotti-tuning at 412 Hz. Presets at 440 Hz are also available.

The sample library contains nearly 700 single recordings.

2) German Theorbo-Harpsichord

The German Theorbo-Harpsichord library is also a long-gone instrument: Its concept is similar, but its like a  "big brother", with different stops (2x16') plus a metal-strung 4' stop for chimey sounds.

 After the knowledge had resurfaced, collector and musicologist Andreas Beurmann had a reconstruction built according to original drawings.

Back in the days of harpsichords and spinets, a theorbo-harpsichord offered a warmer tone. All notes bloom with full decay due to undampened strings (in contrast to harpsichords and pianos) - this leads to a vibrating and reverberant sound.

We sampled the instrument with 6 different register combinations, including differents jacks of the 16' stops, and its coveted 16'+4' combination.

The sample library contains over 3.600 single recordings.

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realsamples and its sample libraries are in no way affiliated or associated with any of the companies mentioned. Company and model names are used solely to describe the employed instrument/equipment/sound and compatible software samplers. Brand names, trademarks and product names belong to their respective owners.