Hello sueb~
Thank you for looking over the images in the Google Image Search link
(at http://images.google.com/images?q=zither&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en ) I?m
glad I was able to help you pin point the instrument in question.
Zithers (see Merriam-Webster Online for the pronunciation of the word:
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=zither ) have
a long history, being developed in ancient Asia and Africa. Music
historians point to zithers as the first step toward the creation of
the harpsichord and the modern piano.
However, there are many types of zithers. In fact, the term is used to
classify an entire category of instruments that have strings
stretching over a resonating chamber, but don?t extend beyond it.
Many, but certainly not all, zithers lay flat on a table. The most
common of these is called the ?concert zither,? which has ?four or
five fretted strings on one side, usually adjusted with machine tuners
(with knobs). The rest of the instrument is made up of twenty seven
open strings (sometimes more or less). When playing, the side with the
fretted strings goes toward you. Your left hand frets those strings.
The thumb of your right hand picks the fretted strings. Then the
remaining fingers of the right hand build accompaniment chords from
the rest of the strings.? (?The German Concert Zither,?
http://home.dejazzd.com/williams/conczith.htm )
Regards,
Kriswrite
RESEARCH STRATEGY:
Researcher?s personal knowledge
Google Image Search: zither
Google Search: zither, ?concert zither? |
