The plucked psaltery dates back to ancient times but the bowed psaltery is more modern in origin. Its development is attributed to a German school teacher in the 1940s. Its conventional shape is that of an isosceles triangle and it produces hauntingly beautiful sounds.
The sounds are made by the steel strings being bowed one by one. Today one can listen to these soul stirring sounds on the internet. There are sites where you can even listen to the actual sound produced by the instrument on offer.
A small, light bow is used. It is played along each edge of the instrument to produce the sounds. It has to be run between the pins on the right and left sides of the instrument where there is an opening. Natural notes, which are like the white piano keys, are found on the right side. Sharp and flat notes, which are like the black piano keys, are found on the left side. Advanced techniques involve using two bows, one to play melody and one to add harmony.
Tuning should be a regular part of caring for an instrument and a tuning wrench is often included in the sale. Depending on how often you play, you may not have to tune your instrument very often. It may just need a bit of tweaking now and then. This has to be done carefully so as not to break the strings. Today there are digital tuners available which give accurate results and make the tuning process easy.
Once you have purchased an instrument, you need to learn how to hold it in the most comfortable way. The most common way is to hold it with the tip pointing away from the body and the base resting against the stomach or on the inside of the elbow. The left hand is used to hold the instrument while the right hand wields the bow. Sitting down with the instrument on your lap is another option.
When you order one of these instruments, it usually comes together with a set of songs for you to begin with. You do not need any musical training as the songs come with numbers or letters to help you. You can even learn to play by ear quite easily.
Many of the instruments being produced today are made from beautiful and durable wood with good tonal quality. They are often finely constructed by craftsmen with years of experience at working with wood. Many of them have a fair amount of musical knowledge as well as most elements required in the construction can affect the quality of sound produced. For example, the hitch pins have to be placed at exactly the right distance from the bridge so that each string has the perfect vibrating length.
You may be considering buying a bowed psaltery for the first time but are unsure of exactly what to buy. Most of the craftsmen selling these items are only to happy to give you advice and are even prepared to customize for you if required. There are forums too, where you can find much helpful advice from others who have experience.
The sounds are made by the steel strings being bowed one by one. Today one can listen to these soul stirring sounds on the internet. There are sites where you can even listen to the actual sound produced by the instrument on offer.
A small, light bow is used. It is played along each edge of the instrument to produce the sounds. It has to be run between the pins on the right and left sides of the instrument where there is an opening. Natural notes, which are like the white piano keys, are found on the right side. Sharp and flat notes, which are like the black piano keys, are found on the left side. Advanced techniques involve using two bows, one to play melody and one to add harmony.
Tuning should be a regular part of caring for an instrument and a tuning wrench is often included in the sale. Depending on how often you play, you may not have to tune your instrument very often. It may just need a bit of tweaking now and then. This has to be done carefully so as not to break the strings. Today there are digital tuners available which give accurate results and make the tuning process easy.
Once you have purchased an instrument, you need to learn how to hold it in the most comfortable way. The most common way is to hold it with the tip pointing away from the body and the base resting against the stomach or on the inside of the elbow. The left hand is used to hold the instrument while the right hand wields the bow. Sitting down with the instrument on your lap is another option.
When you order one of these instruments, it usually comes together with a set of songs for you to begin with. You do not need any musical training as the songs come with numbers or letters to help you. You can even learn to play by ear quite easily.
Many of the instruments being produced today are made from beautiful and durable wood with good tonal quality. They are often finely constructed by craftsmen with years of experience at working with wood. Many of them have a fair amount of musical knowledge as well as most elements required in the construction can affect the quality of sound produced. For example, the hitch pins have to be placed at exactly the right distance from the bridge so that each string has the perfect vibrating length.
You may be considering buying a bowed psaltery for the first time but are unsure of exactly what to buy. Most of the craftsmen selling these items are only to happy to give you advice and are even prepared to customize for you if required. There are forums too, where you can find much helpful advice from others who have experience.
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