A five-octave electronic keyboard instrument similar to an electric piano. It was designed by Ernst Zacharias and has been manufactured by Hohner from around 1960. The sound resembles that of the clavichord, and is produced by small hammers, mounted under the touch-sensitive keys, which strike short strings directly beneath them; the vibrations of the strings are converted by electrostatic transducers into voltage variations and made audible over a loudspeaker. Although the Clavinet was originally less successful than Hohner’s Pianet, many rock and jazz musicians, including Stevie Wonder and Chick Corea, have exploited its percussive quality.
HUGH DAVIES