Celesta
Celeste

Musical Theory and Technique

This Side of Sanity

    The celesta (or celeste) is an early keyboard percussion instrument.

    The celesta is a musical instrument having a keyboard and metal plates struck by hammers that produce bell-like tones.

    General MIDI Level 1 Sound Set Program Channel Number: decimal 9 or hexadecimal 0x08. (See General MIDI Level 1 Sound Set.)

    The word “celesta” comes from the French word “célesta”, coined from the French word “céleste” meaning celestial which comes from the Latin word “caelestis” meaning celestial which comes from the Latin word “caelum” meaning sky or heaven..