Editing Virginals (section)

==Compass and pitch==
The keyboard compass of most virginals was C<sub>2</sub>/E<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>6</sub> (45 notes, 4 octaves), which allowed the performance of the music contemporarily available for the instruments. The lower octave was tuned to a [[short octave]], so that the bottom E sounded C<sub>2</sub>, the bottom F{{music|sharp}} sounded D<sub>2</sub>, and the bottom G{{music|sharp}} sounded E<sub>2</sub>, thus allowing some frequently-required low bass notes to take over the positions of keys that were rarely used in the contemporary repertory and avoiding building a larger instrument. Some Italian models ranged from C<sub>2</sub> to F<sub>6</sub> (54 notes, {{frac|4|1|2}} octaves).

Virginals were available in various sizes. The Dutch organist and harpsichordist [[Class Douwes]] (circa 1650 – circa 1725) mentions instruments from nominal {{convert|6|ft|m}} down to {{convert|2+1/2|ft|m}}.<ref>Klaas Douwes, ''Grundig Ondersoek van de Toonen der Musijk'' (Franeker, 1699)</ref> The [[pitch (music)|pitch]] differences between the models offered by the Ruckers workshops were by no means arbitrary, but corresponded to the musical [[interval (music)|intervals]] of a tone, a [[perfect fourth|fourth]], a [[perfect fifth|fifth]], an [[octave]], and a ninth. Pitch assignments have been suggested for these instruments based on scalings provided by Douwes.<ref>Edwin M. Ripin, ''The "three foot" Flemish harpsichord''. Galpin Society Journal, XXIII (1970), pp 35ff.</ref> Most modern instruments are full-sized ones at [[Eight foot pitch|8′ pitch]] or {{lang|it|ottavini}} at 4′ pitch, although there are no surviving Ruckers instruments at the 4' pitch, and most probably none were ever made by his workshop.