Musical instruments - plucked strings. String musical instruments

A fairly large number of musical instruments belong to the plucked group. These are harp, guitar, balalaika, lute, mandolin, dombra and many others. How did the most famous of them appear, which have survived to this day? The history of many of these musical instruments is full of interesting facts.

Where did the harp come from?

The harp is a plucked musical instrument that appeared one of the very first on Earth. The harp was originally modified from a conventional hunting bow. Apparently back then ancient man tried, except for one bowstring, to attach a few more “strings” to its base. Interestingly, this tool is also mentioned in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. In this letter, each hieroglyph denotes a certain concept. When the Egyptians wanted to write the word "beautiful", "beautiful", they painted exactly the harp. It was known to the ancient Egyptians as early as 3 thousand years BC. The lyre and harp are the two closest relatives of the hunting bow.

Playing the harp in Ireland

Irish harpists were once very revered. In ancient times, they stood at the next level of the hierarchy after the leaders. Often the harpers were blind - Irish bards read poetry to their game. The musicians performed the ancient sagas using a small portable harp. This plucked musical instrument sounds very melodic. It is very often used by composers when it is necessary to create a mysterious atmosphere or present a mysterious natural image to the listener.

Where does the modern guitar come from?

Researchers of the history of music still cannot give an unambiguous answer to the question of the appearance of the guitar. The tools that are its prototypes date back to several millennia BC. It is believed that the origin of the guitar is also associated with the use of a hunting bow. The progenitors of the modern guitar were found by geologists in the excavations of the settlements of the ancient Egyptians. This plucked musical instrument appeared here about 4 thousand years ago. Presumably, it was from Egypt that it was distributed throughout the Mediterranean coast.

Kifara - the progenitor of the Spanish guitar

The ancient analogue of the guitar was an instrument called the kithara. It is very similar to the guitars in use today. Even in our time Asian countries you can find a small musical instrument called "kinira". In ancient times, the progenitors of guitars had only two or three strings. Only in the 16th century did a guitar with five strings appear in Spain. This is where she gets the most, compared to others. European countries, spreading. The guitar from that time began to be called the national

The history of the balalaika in Rus'

Everyone knows a stringed plucked musical instrument, which has become one of national symbols Rusi is a balalaika. When she appeared in Russia, no one can say for sure. There is an assumption that the balalaika originates from the dombra, which was played by the Kirghiz-kaisaks. The earliest references to the balalaika in history date back to 1688.

However, one thing is certain - this plucked musical instrument itself was invented common people. The serfs, in order to forget about their hard lot for a while, loved to have fun and play the balalaika. It was also used by buffoons who traveled to fairs with performances.

A sad story is connected with the ban on the use of the balalaika by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The angry ruler at one time ordered the destruction of all plucked musical instruments that the population had. If anyone dares to disobey the king, he will be severely flogged and sent into exile. However, after the death of the autocrat, the ban was lifted, and the balalaika sounded again in Russian huts.

National musical instrument of Georgia

And what kind of plucked musical instrument is common on Georgian soil? This panduri is the main tool for musical accompaniment, under which songs are sung and laudatory poems are read. Panduri also has a "brother" - an instrument called chonguri. Outwardly they are very similar, but their musical properties are different. Most often, panduri is found in eastern Georgia. This Georgian plucked musical instrument is still widespread in such areas as Kakheti, Tusheti, Kartli, Pshavkhevsureti.

How did the banjo come about?

This musical instrument is always associated with American country music. However, the banjo can boast much more ancient history. After all, it has African roots. It is believed that for the first time black slaves, who were brought to American lands, began to play the banjo. The musical instrument itself comes from Africa. Initially, Africans used not even a tree, but a pumpkin to create a banjo. Strings of horsehair or hemp were pulled over it.

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J. standing harp; a musical stringed instrument in a triangle, with a foot on a long corner; the volume of the harp is six octaves, there are steps for semitones; strings (metal and intestinal) are fingered. Harp, harp sounds. Harp notes. Harpist m. harp player. Aeolian harp, a long box of thin planks, with two or more strings; she herself sounds in the through wind. Constellation name. Wire or twine screens for screening garden soil

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Strings are called musical instruments where the source of the sound is the vibration of the strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs system of classification of musical instruments, they are called "chordophones".

History of stringed instruments

The methods for extracting sound from them also varied. The guitar was played with fingers, and for playing the mandolin they used a special record, the plectrum. Later, various sticks and hammers appeared that caused the strings to vibrate. It is this principle that formed the basis of the piano.

And soon the bow was invented: if the blow caused a short sound, then an ordinary stick with a bunch of horsehair made the string give a long, drawn-out sound. The design of bowed stringed instruments is based on this principle.

Bowed string instruments

Viols were one of the first bowed instruments. As a separate family, they arose in the 15th century. Violam is characterized by a gentle matte timbre of weak strength. They are represented by several varieties: alto, treble, contrabass, tenor. Each subgroup is characterized by its size and, accordingly, the height of the sound. Violas are usually held vertically, on their knees or between them.

Appearing in the 15th century, it quickly gained popularity throughout Europe, thanks to its strong sound and virtuoso capabilities. IN Italian city Entire families of violin makers appeared in Cremona, whose violins are considered to be the standard to this day. This is for everyone famous surnames Stradivari, Amati, Guarneri, who formed the so-called Cremonese school. And today, playing the Stradivarius violin is a great honor for the most eminent musicians around the world.

Following the violin, other bowed instruments appeared - viola, double bass, cello. They are similar in tone and shape, but differ in size. The pitch will depend on the length of the strings and the size of the body: the double bass gives a low note, and the violin sounds at least two octaves higher.

Bowed string instruments resemble the viol in outline, only with more elegant forms and round “shoulders”. The double bass stands out among them, which is made with “sloping” shoulders to allow the musician to reach the strings.

For different bowed instruments it is characteristic different way location: compact viola and violin are comfortable to hold on the shoulder, but bulky double bass and cello are placed vertically on the floor or on a special stand.

And one more important fact: exactly bowed string instrument usually trusted the main role in the orchestra.

Stringed plucked instruments

The second subspecies of stringed musical instruments, plucked, are solo, often amateur, instruments. The most common among them is the guitar, used in various musical genres from the 15th century to the present day.

The same type of instruments includes balalaikas, psaltery, domras and their varieties - from piccolo to double bass. They are especially popular in folklore orchestras, rarely used in symphony ones.

The group of plucked musical instruments includes: guitars, balalaikas, domras, mandolins. In these instruments, the sound is extracted by plucking the strings with your fingers or with an elastic plate - a plectrum.

Guitar. The main components of the guitar (fig.) are the body, neck and peg mechanism. The body of the guitar resembles a figure-eight shape and consists of a soundboard, bottom and sides. Most important detail is a deca. Through the nut glued to it, the soundboard perceives the vibrations of the strings and, together with the body, amplifies the sound and gives it a specific timbre. The contour of the soundboard is decorated with a border, and the resonator hole is decorated with a rosette. Fret plates and a head with a peg mechanism for string tension are installed on the neck of the guitar.

Rice. Guitar (cut):

I - body, II - neck, III - connecting screw. 1 - resonant deck; 2 - body frame; 3 - stand; 4 - button; 5 - bottom; 6 - lining (shell); 7 - fret indicators; 8 - fret plates; 9 - nut; 10 - head; 11 - handle; 12 - sticker; 13 - heel

The length of the string between the nut and nut is called the scale. Guitars with a scale of 620 mm are called normal. If the scale is 650 mm, then such guitars are called large concert. Reduced size guitars (for children) have scales of 585 mm (tertz guitar), 540 mm (quart guitar) and 485 mm (quint guitar). There are six- and seven-string guitars by the number of strings.

Variety six-string guitar is the ukulele, which differs from the ordinary guitar by the absence of frets on the fretboard.

In terms of sound quality and finish, guitars are distinguished between ordinary, increased and highest quality.

Ordinary guitars are made from hardwood (birch, beech) and varnished. High-quality guitar bodies are lined with fine wood, varnished, followed by polishing. Guitars of the highest quality are made with a modified contour of the upper part (for ease of playing) and two resonator holes - ffs, like a violin. Such guitars are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, metal parts are nickel-plated.

Balalaika. The body of the balalaika has a triangular shape and consists of a soundboard, a back and a bottom glued together from rivets. In the place where the fingers strike the strings, a shell cuts in, protecting the soundboard from finger strikes. Balalaika - three-stringed instrument, but some strings may be doubled.

By the number of staves, balalaikas can be five-, six-, seven- and even nine-stave. The more staves, the more valuable the balalaika.

Depending on the purpose, balalaikas are divided into ordinary, orchestral and solo. The orchestral ones include balalaikas: prima, second, viola, bass and double bass.

Mandolin. The mandolin is a four-stringed musical instrument with double strings. Depending on the shape of the case, there are three types of mandolins: oval, semi-oval and flat. The sound on the mandolin is played with a mediator.

Domra. Domra, unlike the mandolin, has a hemispherical body, the neck ends with a head with a curl. Domra has single strings. Domra can be three- and four-stringed. Domras are used only as part of an orchestra of stringed instruments under the names: piccolo, prima, alto, tenor, bass and double bass.

Musical instruments are designed to produce various sounds. If the musician plays well, then these sounds can be called music, if not, then cacophony. There are so many tools that learning them is like exciting game worse than Nancy Drew! In modern musical practice, instruments are divided into various classes and families according to the source of the sound, the material of manufacture, the method of sound production and other features.

Wind musical instruments (aerophones): a group of musical instruments whose sound source is vibrations of an air column in the barrel (tube). They are classified according to many criteria (by material, design, methods of sound extraction, etc.). In a symphony orchestra, the group of wind musical instruments is divided into wood (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon) and brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba).

1. Flute - a woodwind musical instrument. modern type transverse flute(with valves) was invented by the German master T. Bem in 1832 and has varieties: small (or piccolo flute), alto and bass flute.

2. Oboe - woodwind reed musical instrument. Known since the 17th century. Varieties: small oboe, oboe d "cupid, English horn, haeckelphone.

3. Clarinet - woodwind reed musical instrument. Designed at the beginning 18th century IN contemporary practice common soprano clarinets, piccolo clarinet (Italian piccolo), alto (so-called basset horn), bass.

4. Bassoon - a woodwind musical instrument (mainly orchestral). Arose in the 1st floor. 16th century The bass variety is the contrabassoon.

5. Trumpet - a wind brass mouthpiece musical instrument, known since ancient times. The modern type of valve pipe has developed to ser. 19th century

6. Horn - a wind musical instrument. Appeared at the end of the 17th century as a result of the improvement of the hunting horn. The modern type of horn with valves was created in the first quarter of the 19th century.

7. Trombone - a wind brass musical instrument (mainly orchestral), in which the pitch is regulated by a special device - a backstage (the so-called sliding trombone or zugtrombone). There are also valve trombones.

8. Tuba is the lowest sounding brass musical instrument. Designed in 1835 in Germany.

Metallophones are a kind of musical instruments, the main element of which are plates-keys, which are beaten with a hammer.

1. Self-sounding musical instruments (bells, gongs, vibraphones, etc.), the sound source of which is their elastic metal body. The sound is extracted with hammers, sticks, special drummers (tongues).

2. Instruments such as xylophone, in contrast to which metallophone plates are made of metal.


String musical instruments (chordophones): according to the method of sound production, they are divided into bowed (for example, violin, cello, gidzhak, kemancha), plucked (harp, harp, guitar, balalaika), percussion (cymbals), percussion keyboards (piano), schipkovo - keyboards (harpsichord).


1. Violin - a 4-string bowed musical instrument. Highest in register in the violin family that formed the basis symphony orchestra classical composition and string quartet.

2. Cello - a musical instrument of the violin family of the bass-tenor register. Appeared in the 15-16 centuries. Classic patterns created by Italian masters 17-18 centuries: A. and N. Amati, J. Guarneri, A. Stradivari.

3. Gidzhak - stringed bowed musical instrument (Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Uighur).

4. Kemancha (kamancha) - 3-4-string bowed musical instrument. Distributed in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Dagestan, as well as the countries of the Middle and Near East.

5. Harp (from German Harfe) - a multi-stringed plucked musical instrument. Early images - in the third millennium BC. In its simplest form, it is found in almost all peoples. The modern pedal harp was invented in 1801 by S. Erard in France.

6. Gusli - Russian stringed musical instrument. Pterygoid gusli ("voiced") have 4-14 or more strings, helmet-shaped - 11-36, rectangular (table-shaped) - 55-66 strings.

7. Guitar (Spanish guitarra, from Greek cithara) - a lute-type stringed plucked instrument. It has been known in Spain since the 13th century, in the 17th and 18th centuries it spread to the countries of Europe and America, including as folk instrument. Since the 18th century, the 6-string guitar has become common, the 7-string has become widespread mainly in Russia. Varieties include the so-called ukulele; in modern pop music electric guitar is used.

8. Balalaika - Russian folk 3-string plucked musical instrument. Known from the beginning 18th century Improved in the 1880s. (under the direction of V.V. Andreev) V.V. Ivanov and F.S. Paserbsky, who designed the family of balalaikas, later - S.I. Nalimov.

9. Cymbals (Polish cymbaly) - a multi-stringed percussion musical instrument ancient origin. Are part of folk orchestras Hungary, Poland, Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, etc.

10. Piano (Italian fortepiano, from forte - loud and piano - quiet) - the general name of keyboard musical instruments with hammer action (piano, piano). The pianoforte was invented in the beginning. 18th century Appearance modern type piano - with the so-called. double rehearsal - refers to the 1820s. The heyday of piano performance - 19-20 centuries.

11. Harpsichord (French clavecin) - a stringed keyboard-plucked musical instrument, the forerunner of the piano. Known since the 16th century. There were harpsichords various forms, types and varieties, including chembalo, virginel, spinet, claviciterium.

Keyboard musical instruments: a group of musical instruments combined common feature- the presence of keyboard mechanics and a keyboard. They are divided into different classes and types. Keyboard musical instruments are combined with other categories.

1. Strings (percussion and plucked keyboards): piano, celesta, harpsichord and its varieties.

2. Wind (wind and reed keyboards): organ and its varieties, harmonium, button accordion, accordion, melody.

3. Electromechanical: electric piano, clavinet

4. Electronic: electronic piano

pianoforte (Italian fortepiano, from forte - loud and piano - quiet) - the general name of keyboard musical instruments with hammer action (piano, piano). It was invented in the early 18th century. The appearance of the modern type of piano - with the so-called. double rehearsal - refers to the 1820s. The heyday of piano performance - 19-20 centuries.

Percussion musical instruments: a group of instruments combined according to the method of sound production - impact. The sound source is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with a definite (timpani, bells, xylophones) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets) pitch.


1. Timpani (timpani) (from the Greek polytaurea) - a percussion musical instrument of a cauldron shape with a membrane, often paired (nagara, etc.). Widespread since ancient times.

2. Bells - orchestral percussion self-sounding musical instrument: a set of metal records.

3. Xylophone (from xylo... and Greek phone - sound, voice) - percussion self-sounding musical instrument. Consists of a number of wooden blocks of various lengths.

4. Drum - percussion membrane musical instrument. Varieties are found in many peoples.

5. Tambourine - a percussion membrane musical instrument, sometimes with metal pendants.

6. Castanetvas (Spanish: castanetas) - a percussion musical instrument; wooden (or plastic) plates in the form of shells, fixed on the fingers.

Electric musical instruments: musical instruments in which sound is created by generating, amplifying and converting electrical signals (using electronic equipment). They have a peculiar timbre, they can imitate various tools. Electric musical instruments include theremin, emiriton, electric guitar, electric organs, etc.

1. Theremin - the first domestic electric musical instrument. Designed by L. S. Theremin. The pitch in the theremin varies depending on the distance of the performer's right hand to one of the antennas, the volume - from the distance of the left hand to the other antenna.

2. Emiriton - an electric musical instrument equipped with a piano-type keyboard. Designed in the USSR by the inventors A. A. Ivanov, A. V. Rimsky-Korsakov, V. A. Kreutser and V. P. Dzerzhkovich (1st model in 1935).

3. Electric guitar - a guitar, usually made of wood, with electric pickups that convert vibrations metal strings into fluctuations in electric current. The first magnetic pickup was built by Gibson engineer Lloyd Loer in 1924. The most common are six-string electric guitars.



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