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.
Communities in the bible are listed as having used the instrument to aid in pronunciation. It was useful in assisting loyalty and orators to get the right pronunciation especially when they encountered new words. Getting the right pitch gave words their meaning. This information is documented in the books of Chronicles, Samuel, Kings, Psalms and Daniel.
The common features that define a psaltery include the sound board. There are strings attached to the board at a defined angle to facilitate sound production. The quality of sound is highly dependent on how well these strings are tuned. It was used for different purposes in each community. The size also determines the quality of sound produced. These are some of the features that distinguish different instruments from one community to the other.
Psaltery had a special position in the medieval age. This is explained by the fact that the instrument was a common feature in most paintings and theatrical performances. It was common to find scripted sections in manuscripts. Entertainment in palaces would not be complete without the instrument.
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, also referred to as the zither is modified slightly and comes with a playing bow. This is unlike the original design which was played using fingers. The new model has chromatically arranged strings. It produces standard tunes when bowed.
The modern triangular design ensures that each string extends a few centimeters more than the previous. This has allowed the chromatic design to be enhanced as well as factor in the element of sharps and flats in music. The origin determines other intricate features of the design. The violin bow has been popularized by commercialization.
Individual players adopt unique playing styles depending on the music of specialization. This has seen differences in sounds across performances. The small size allows it to be held on one hand as the player bows with the other. Additional tone comes from finger strumming.
The design might not allow conventional finger plucking because the strings are too close together. This leaves the player with the option of plucking at the end. Sound is amplified by the soundbox with special holes to allow penetration of sound from the strings.
Individuals personalize their instruments through coloring without affecting sound production or quality. Experts in bowing can use two bows in order to achieve double stopping. The quality and pitch of produced sound depend on how tight a bow is, among other factors. The instrument produces beautiful acoustic sound.
Communities in the bible are listed as having used the instrument to aid in pronunciation. It was useful in assisting loyalty and orators to get the right pronunciation especially when they encountered new words. Getting the right pitch gave words their meaning. This information is documented in the books of Chronicles, Samuel, Kings, Psalms and Daniel.
The common features that define a psaltery include the sound board. There are strings attached to the board at a defined angle to facilitate sound production. The quality of sound is highly dependent on how well these strings are tuned. It was used for different purposes in each community. The size also determines the quality of sound produced. These are some of the features that distinguish different instruments from one community to the other.
Psaltery had a special position in the medieval age. This is explained by the fact that the instrument was a common feature in most paintings and theatrical performances. It was common to find scripted sections in manuscripts. Entertainment in palaces would not be complete without the instrument.
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, also referred to as the zither is modified slightly and comes with a playing bow. This is unlike the original design which was played using fingers. The new model has chromatically arranged strings. It produces standard tunes when bowed.
The modern triangular design ensures that each string extends a few centimeters more than the previous. This has allowed the chromatic design to be enhanced as well as factor in the element of sharps and flats in music. The origin determines other intricate features of the design. The violin bow has been popularized by commercialization.
Individual players adopt unique playing styles depending on the music of specialization. This has seen differences in sounds across performances. The small size allows it to be held on one hand as the player bows with the other. Additional tone comes from finger strumming.
The design might not allow conventional finger plucking because the strings are too close together. This leaves the player with the option of plucking at the end. Sound is amplified by the soundbox with special holes to allow penetration of sound from the strings.
Individuals personalize their instruments through coloring without affecting sound production or quality. Experts in bowing can use two bows in order to achieve double stopping. The quality and pitch of produced sound depend on how tight a bow is, among other factors. The instrument produces beautiful acoustic sound.
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