Whatever Happened to the Harpsichord in Pop/Rock Music?

Perhaps it will be back in another hundred years.

The Partridge Family’s number-one hit, “I Think I Love You,” may have been the first time many of us heard the harpsichord used in pop music. It is famously highlighted in the bridge between the second and third verses. Hear it again below! Photo: public domain, by ABC-TV, 1970. Wikimedia Commons.

Before writing this article, I knew nothing about the harpsichord other than that I liked how it sounded in some of the songs I loved. But this is the main reason I write — to learn about new things and educate and entertain my reading audience.

What is a Harpsichord?

I thought the harpsichord was a string instrument. This may come as no surprise to many of you who are much less ignorant than me, but it’s not.

It is classified under percussion — kind of like a piano. Both have keyboards, but the harpsichord uses strings to produce sound and much more. The way the sound is created is more complex than that of a piano. Look at the diagram below, and you’ll see what I mean.

You can’t talk about the harpsichord without mentioning the Baroque period, from which it is derived.

I have no idea what is going on here! You may if you are more musically inclined than me. Diagram by French Wiki user Ratigan GFDL Licence on Wikimedia Commons.

The Baroque Period

I probably learned this in college at some point and totally forgot about it.