Find Bowed Psaltery For Sale

By Eloise Hewitt


Psalteries are popular once again. Well, these instruments are really ancient ones. The first documents are found more than two thousands years ago, and back then, they were plucked with fingers or with a plectrum, but they can also be bowed, why not. So, if you would like to try how it sounds, find yourself one really amazing bowed psaltery for sale and enjoy.

Plucking strings using fingers or a plectrum produces very pleasant, ringing tones that tingle in your ears. Bowed psaltery has different sound quality. It seams just like this sound float in the air, but it is quite difficult to describe it. You simply have to hear it. It has a sort of a medieval quality, and it is easy to find out why so many people appreciate it.

The great thing is that it is perfectly easy to play it. The technique is easy to understand, and simple melodies are easy to learn. Even if you cannot play other musical instruments, you will find it perfectly easy. Specialized shops offer all types of music sheets and all other stuff you might find useful, including how to books and manuals.

Psaltery looks quite similar to both zither and harp. The strings run the entire length of the instrument. It seems like the first ones were developed in the Middle East, at least a few centuries BC, and brought to Europe and to China during the Middle Ages. Back then, these lovely instruments were played in all given occasions. It was often played during psalms reading, for example, but any other occasion was great as well.

The first ones were probably just simple wooden boxes with gut strings, mostly rectangular. Triangular shapes were easy to make, and soon became popular. Later on, other forms were developed, and the most popular ones are definitely trapezoidal and wing-shaped ones, especially in northern parts of Europe. Ancient instruments were sized to be easily carried in the arms, and played with fingers or struck with two sticks.

Gut strings are now replaced with steel made ones, to improve the brightness and loudness of the sound. Many other instruments were based on psalteries, for example, the hammer dulcimer, harp, zither and other string instruments. Lately this charming, interesting and beautifully sounding musical instrument became very popular once again.

Psalteries come in many different sizes and shapes. Different materials are used to make them even more attractive. For example, they are often made of precious woods, and sometimes are artistically decorated. They look very nice, but their sound is absolutely surprising. You have to hear it, by all means, and you will understand why it is so popular even today.

Well, you don't have to be interested in playing psalteries to buy one. It looks really interesting, and can be used as a decorative element as well. If it is made of precious wood and beautifully shaped, you can find a nice place in your living room to put it there. In any case, when you see one, you'll find it hard to resist.




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