The bowed psaltery is more recent in origin than the plucked psaltery which was popular thousands of years ago. Its actual origins are rather hazy but it is thought to have been developed in the late 1940s by a German school teacher. Its shape is triangular and each string extends a little farther than the one before it so each one can be played individually.
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.
The bow used for playing needs to be small and light. It has to be run along the edges of the instrument between the hitch pins. Natural notes are played on the right and sharp and flat notes on the left. Think about the piano with the natural notes being the white keys and the sharp and flats being the black ones and you get the idea. Those who are more advanced will often use two bows when playing, using one for the melody and the other for the harmony.
A tuning wrench is usually bought together with the instrument. The tuning pins are found at the base and are tightened or loosened to tune the strings. They are set into a hardwood block so they do not lose their tuning easily. The tension of the strings has to be just right to produce the best sounds. The tuning is a regular part of care and purchasing one of the digital tuners available today can make this task an easy one.
There are a variety of ways in which this instrument can be held and you need to find the way that is most comfortable for you. The most common way is to keep the tip away from your body and the base tucked in. It is supported with the left hand while the right hand holds the bow. A variation is to sit down and play with the instrument on your lap.
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.
It may be quite daunting to choose your first bowed psaltery as there are so many different ones available. If you are uncertain, it is easy to get advice. The craftsman who has made the instrument will be able to advise you and there are forums used by experienced players where you can have questions answered too.
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.
The bow used for playing needs to be small and light. It has to be run along the edges of the instrument between the hitch pins. Natural notes are played on the right and sharp and flat notes on the left. Think about the piano with the natural notes being the white keys and the sharp and flats being the black ones and you get the idea. Those who are more advanced will often use two bows when playing, using one for the melody and the other for the harmony.
A tuning wrench is usually bought together with the instrument. The tuning pins are found at the base and are tightened or loosened to tune the strings. They are set into a hardwood block so they do not lose their tuning easily. The tension of the strings has to be just right to produce the best sounds. The tuning is a regular part of care and purchasing one of the digital tuners available today can make this task an easy one.
There are a variety of ways in which this instrument can be held and you need to find the way that is most comfortable for you. The most common way is to keep the tip away from your body and the base tucked in. It is supported with the left hand while the right hand holds the bow. A variation is to sit down and play with the instrument on your lap.
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.
It may be quite daunting to choose your first bowed psaltery as there are so many different ones available. If you are uncertain, it is easy to get advice. The craftsman who has made the instrument will be able to advise you and there are forums used by experienced players where you can have questions answered too.
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