Psaltery
An ideal instrument for improvisation
The psaltery is a string instrument from the Middle Ages. In a sense it is the forerunner of the violin. However on the psaltery the tone is not produced on a fingerboard. Instead each string is fixed on a certain tone. The advantage is that one can play clean-sounding melodies without much experience.
Generating sounds with a bow offers a special appeal: with this instrument you can teach the introduction to handling string instruments in a playful way. Simple techniques such as bowing, holding the bow and bow pressure can be learned easily with this instrument.
Applications
The psalter is also an ideal instrument for improvisation.
The psalter sounds very nice when played together with either the string tambourin or the tambura.
Photos
Psaltery, 8 strings
