534c1: Zither

534c1: Zither

Description

There are a large number of kinds of chordophones classed as zithers.

Zithers are characterized by strings being stretched entirely over a straight body, having a bridge, but no neck. The strings are parallel to each other and with the plane of the body. A zither can have one string (idiocord) or many (dulcimer or harpsichord).

Usually the whole body of a zither acts as a resonator, but a supplementary resonator can be added.

There are many shapes and forms of the body: ground, trough, tube, raft, and simple sticks.

The strings are set in vibration by various means: plucking, striking, friction.

Examples:

Simple zither, long zither, plucked board zither (psaltery, harpsichord, virginal, spinet), and struck board zither (dulcimer, clavichord, piano)

Context for this page:

Ocm module: Zither
In ocm module: Chordophones
In ocm module: Musical instruments
In modular book: Expanded ethnomusicology categories for the Outline of Cultural Materials, by Kenneth R. Hollingsworth
In bookshelf: Anthropology

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 3.5, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 21 March 1999