A strummed instrument with strings stretched across a resonating box. Buttons on th autoharp control bars that dampen all strings except the ones needed to produce a desired chord.  BanjoA stringed instrument in the guitar family with a long neck, five strings and a round body like a tambourine with an open back. A banjo’s strings are strummed or plucked with the fingers. Country of origin: Africa BiwaA Japanese short-necked lute, often used in narrative storytelling. CelloA stringed instrument that is double the length of a violin and deeper from front to back. It has four strings, is held between the knees, and is supported on the floor with a metal peg. It is played with a bow and has a tone that is much lower and more mellow than a violin. Double BassThe largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the string family. The double bass rests on the floor on a metal peg; double bass players often stand when they perform. DulcimerAn early stringed instrument whose strings are stretched across a wooden sound box and hit with small hammers. FiddleThe highest pitched member of the string instrument family. It has a shallow wooden body, four strings that are tuned with pegs, and it is played with a bow. GuitarA stringed instrument with a long neck and a flat, hollow body. Its strings are plucked or strummed with the fingers. Guitarróna large six-stringed, plucked instrument, usually part of a mariachi ensemble Country of origin: Latin America HarpThis string instrument dates back to pre-historic times. The modern harp has a large triangular frame with strings stretched vertically across the triangle. The strings are graduated in length from longest/lowest pitches to shortest/highest and there are pedals that can be used to raise the pitch of each string by half steps. The sound is created by plucking the strings with fingers. KoraA string instrument used extensively in West Africa, a kora typically has 21-strings which are played by plucking with the fingers, and combines features of the lute and a harp. Country of origin: Africa KotoA Japanese plucked half-tube zither and the national instrument of Japan. LuteAn ancestor of the guitar, this string instrument with a pear-shaped body has its strings arranged in pairs. Its strings are plucked. LyreAn ancient harp-like string instrument. MandolinA small, stringed instrument of the lute family. It has a pear shaped body, strings in four pairs and a neck similar to a guitar. Musical BowA simple string instrument used by a number of South African peoples, that consists of a flexible stick and strung end to end with a taut cord, usually metal. It can be played with the hands or a wooden stick or branch. Country of origin: Africa RebabA medieval Arabic bowed musical instrument having from one to three strings, shaped typically like a small lute Country of origin: Indonesia SetarAn Iranian musical instrument and member of the lute family Country of origin: the Middle East ShamisenA three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument SitarA plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent. TamburaA stringed drone instrument played in India TarAn Iranian long-necked, waisted lute family instrument, shared by many cultures and countries Country of origin: the Middle East UkuleleA small wooden instrument with four strings, similar to a guitar. The ukulele was brought to Hawaii by Portuguese settlers in the 1870’s, and quickly became popular with native Hawaiians. Country of origin: Hawai'i VihuelaA 15th-century fretted plucked Spanish string instrument, that is shaped like a guitar but tuned like a lute Country of origin: Latin America VinaAn Indian stringed musical instrument ViolaSlightly larger than the violin, this member of the string family has a hollow wooden body, four strings that are tuned with pegs, and is played with a bow. It sounds a fifth lower than a violin. ViolinThe highest pitched member of the string instrument family. It has a shallow wooden body, four strings that are tuned with pegs, and it is played with a bow. Yamatogoto (Wagon)a Japanese six- or seven-stringed zither ZitherA folk instrument with 30 – 40 strings stretched over a flat, shallow, horizontal soundboard. The zither is played with a thumbpick* and with the tips of the fingers. * A thumbpick is a small, flat tool with a loop on the end that is placed over the thumb, and used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. |
