Chordophones

• CHORDOPHONE


  Class of musical instruments in which a stretched vibrating string produces the initial sound
• Types of chordophones


  • Bowed
  • Harps
  • Lutes
  • Lyres
  • Zithers
• When a string vibrates, the resonator picks up the vibration and modifies it giving it a more appealing sound
• Bowed String Instruments


  Played by a bow rubbing against the strings causing a vibration on the resonator which produces the initial sound
• Bowed String Instruments


  • Violin family (violin, viola, cello, and double bass)
  • Fiddle
• Harp


  Musical string instrument that has a triangular frame consisting of a sounding board, a pillar and a curved neck. The strings are stretched in a perpendicular position to the soundboard and they are plucked by the player. These strings may be made of nylon, gut, wire or silk. Some harps are played on the lap of the player, on a table or stand on the floor.
• Lute


  Musical string instrument that has a pear-shaped body, usually bent at the neck and a fretted fingerboard. The plane of strings run parallel on the resonator and is plucked by the player causing a vibration and thus creating the initial sound.
• Lute


  • Guitar
  • Mandolin
• Lyre


  Musical string instrument consisting of a resonating body with two arms and a crossbar to which the strings extending from the resonator are attached. Greek lyres were of two types, the LYRA and the KITHARA. The Lyra had a rounded body and a curved back-often a tortoiseshell- and a skin belly. It was the instrument of the amateur, professionals used the more elaborate Kithars.
• Zither


  Musical string instrument which lies flat on a table, which acts as a resonator to amplify sound. It is played by plucking the strings with the right thumb, wearing a thumb-mounted plectrum and picks out a melody on the five fret board strings which are strummed by the left hand like a guitar. Meanwhile, the remaining fingers of the right hand play accompanying chords on the open stings.