lute stop

The lute stop is a special effect used on harpsichords, first appearing in Germany in the 16th century. It doesn't have its own set of strings but plucks those of an existing unison register. This produces a brassy, nasal sound.1

On some instruments, the lute stop plucks the same strings as another register but can be used independently on an upper manual. This allows for distinct musical lines to be played simultaneously. Some harpsichords also featured a buff stop, sometimes called a lute stop, which used soft leather to mute strings for a pizzicato tone.12

Registers on a harpsichord control different sets of strings, affecting the instrument's tone color. These can include unison registers (8-foot), octave registers (4-foot), and sometimes lower-pitched (16-foot) or higher-pitched (2-foot) registers. The plucking point on the string also influences the sound; plucking closer to the end yields a brighter tone, while plucking further away produces a fuller sound.234