The psaltery has its origin in ancient Greece as a sharp-like instrument. It was originally played using fingers instead of plucking with plectrums. Psalteries vary slightly from one place of origin to the other. Some can be traced back to Europe while others were used in the medieval age. In these regions, there are slight variations in design and name.
Religious scriptures record instances where this instrument was used in translating foreign words whose meaning was unknown. This information is recorded in the books of Psalms, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Daniel. The idea is to offer the pitch during pronunciation so that the kings or orators get the words right.
The general design for a psaltery consists of a sound board with a number of strings attached at an angle. The sound produced depends on the tuning. It comes in a small portable size which allows it to be used in many locations. The community of origin determines how and when it is used. The pitch of sound produced varies from one instrument to the other especially depending on size.
The medieval age placed greater importance on the psaltery especially as part of palace entertainment. This is evident from the way the instrument remains a common place in sculptures and paintings. Manuscripts for theatric actions also preserved a special place for the instrument. This explains its popularity at the era.
The modern psaltery appeared in the 19th century with slight variations from the original design. Its format is triangular such that the portions of each string are bowed at the end. This has not eliminated the original design completely. Traditional psaltery is still being used in its original form among different societies.
The bowed psaltery is also referred to as the zither. It requires a bow to play and is a slight modification of original design. The strings are arranged in chords to allow a player to actualize any melody. The other hand strums the strings in order to accompany the bowing effect.
Extension of strings on the modern triangular design allows sharps and flats to be factored. This design has a chromatic approach during tuning such that the sound produced is standardized. Specific features and overall design largely depends on community or society of origin. The most popular design has been the violin bow and is aided by commercialization.
The style of play depends on individual instrumentalists and the music they are performing. This allows for one note at a time play or a fitting melodic rhythm. It may be held with one hand and bowed with the other. The other option involves plucking in order to add tone to the tune.
Modern designs have their strings close together in a way that hinders strumming. Such closeness makes individual plucking a bit of a challenge unless the player decides to do it at the ends. Sound is amplified by the sound box which has strategically perforated holes for this purpose.
Psaltery owners get their instruments personalized through coloring and addition of graphics on the body. This does not compromise the quality of sound produced. There are experts who have mastered bowing to the point of using two bows. The pair facilitates double stopping. The properties of a bow, including string quality and tightness, affect the sound produced. This is an incredible acoustic addition to any music.
Religious scriptures record instances where this instrument was used in translating foreign words whose meaning was unknown. This information is recorded in the books of Psalms, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Daniel. The idea is to offer the pitch during pronunciation so that the kings or orators get the words right.
The general design for a psaltery consists of a sound board with a number of strings attached at an angle. The sound produced depends on the tuning. It comes in a small portable size which allows it to be used in many locations. The community of origin determines how and when it is used. The pitch of sound produced varies from one instrument to the other especially depending on size.
The medieval age placed greater importance on the psaltery especially as part of palace entertainment. This is evident from the way the instrument remains a common place in sculptures and paintings. Manuscripts for theatric actions also preserved a special place for the instrument. This explains its popularity at the era.
The modern psaltery appeared in the 19th century with slight variations from the original design. Its format is triangular such that the portions of each string are bowed at the end. This has not eliminated the original design completely. Traditional psaltery is still being used in its original form among different societies.
The bowed psaltery is also referred to as the zither. It requires a bow to play and is a slight modification of original design. The strings are arranged in chords to allow a player to actualize any melody. The other hand strums the strings in order to accompany the bowing effect.
Extension of strings on the modern triangular design allows sharps and flats to be factored. This design has a chromatic approach during tuning such that the sound produced is standardized. Specific features and overall design largely depends on community or society of origin. The most popular design has been the violin bow and is aided by commercialization.
The style of play depends on individual instrumentalists and the music they are performing. This allows for one note at a time play or a fitting melodic rhythm. It may be held with one hand and bowed with the other. The other option involves plucking in order to add tone to the tune.
Modern designs have their strings close together in a way that hinders strumming. Such closeness makes individual plucking a bit of a challenge unless the player decides to do it at the ends. Sound is amplified by the sound box which has strategically perforated holes for this purpose.
Psaltery owners get their instruments personalized through coloring and addition of graphics on the body. This does not compromise the quality of sound produced. There are experts who have mastered bowing to the point of using two bows. The pair facilitates double stopping. The properties of a bow, including string quality and tightness, affect the sound produced. This is an incredible acoustic addition to any music.
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