Cristofori’s name for the instrument, gravicembalo col piano e forte (harpsichord with soft and loud), emphasized one of its advantages over the harpsichord, which had allowed the performer very little control over the volume of the music.
Viņš šim instrumentam deva nosaukumu gravicembalo col piano e forte (klavesīns, kas spēlē klusi un skaļi), uzsverot priekšrocību, kādas nebija klavesīnam, kuram iespējas mainīt skaļumu bija pavisam nelielas.