5590. MUSIC, Foot-bass.—
I have lately
examined a foot-bass, newly invented by the
celebrated Krumfoltz. It is precisely a piano-forte,
about ten feet long, eighteen inches
broad, and nine inches deep. It is of one
octave only, from fa to fa. The part where the
keys are projects at the side in order to
lengthen the levers of the keys. It is placed
on the floor, on the harpsichord or other piano-forte,
is set over it, the foot acting in concert
on that, while the fingers play on this. There
are three unison chords to every note, of
strong brass wire, and the lowest have wire
wrapped on them as the lowest in the piano-forte.
The chords give a fine, clear, deep tone
almost like the pipe of an organ.—
To Francis Hopkinson. Washington ed. ii, 75.
(P.
1786)
