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.
One of the attractions of these instruments is the beautiful sounds they make. Many are being offered on internet sites and listening to videos and sound clips on these sites can give you a taste of how fascinating and soul stirring these sounds can be. What is also appealing is the discovery that learning to play simple melodies is not difficult.
The best bow is one which is fairly small and light to handle as it has to be run up and down both sides between the hitch pins to produce the notes. The natural notes are on the right side and the sharp and flat notes on the left. Those who are proficient at playing often use two bows. One is used to play the tune and the other to add the 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.
Various different ways are used to hold the instrument and it may even be played sitting down. It is supported on the lap with the left hand. It is commonly held with the tip of the triangle pointed away from the body and the base nestled comfortably into the inner elbow or abdomen. The left hand is used to hold it and the right one to hold the bow.
Most instruments are sold with instructions on how to play simple tunes. Some are even sold together with a DVD showing how to play using either numbers or letters. This means that you do not have to be able to read music to learn simple songs.
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.
Choosing your first bowed psaltery may not be easy due to the wide variety available. However, most craftsmen are only too happy to give you advice. Online forums can also be very helpful for answering any questions you may have.
One of the attractions of these instruments is the beautiful sounds they make. Many are being offered on internet sites and listening to videos and sound clips on these sites can give you a taste of how fascinating and soul stirring these sounds can be. What is also appealing is the discovery that learning to play simple melodies is not difficult.
The best bow is one which is fairly small and light to handle as it has to be run up and down both sides between the hitch pins to produce the notes. The natural notes are on the right side and the sharp and flat notes on the left. Those who are proficient at playing often use two bows. One is used to play the tune and the other to add the 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.
Various different ways are used to hold the instrument and it may even be played sitting down. It is supported on the lap with the left hand. It is commonly held with the tip of the triangle pointed away from the body and the base nestled comfortably into the inner elbow or abdomen. The left hand is used to hold it and the right one to hold the bow.
Most instruments are sold with instructions on how to play simple tunes. Some are even sold together with a DVD showing how to play using either numbers or letters. This means that you do not have to be able to read music to learn simple songs.
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.
Choosing your first bowed psaltery may not be easy due to the wide variety available. However, most craftsmen are only too happy to give you advice. Online forums can also be very helpful for answering any questions you may have.
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