From Wikipedia
A manual (pl. manuals) is any hand-operated keyboard on a keyboard instrument that either has a pedalboard (a keyboard on which notes are played with the feet, such as an organ) or has more than one hand-operated keyboard (such as a two- or three-manual harpsichord). (On instruments that have neither a pedalboard nor more than one hand-operated keyboard, the word "manual" is not a synonym for "keyboard".)
Music written to be played only on the manuals (and not using the pedals) can be designated by the word manualiter (first attested in 1511, but particularly common in the 17th and 18th centuries).
Frequently asked questions
What does an organ manual sound like?
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q2978691 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Manual (music) – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by MoTabChoir01 – Public domain