"The Lute: A Joyful Family of Instruments | Blog
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Learn more about the lute family instruments. There are a myriad of varieties of lute instruments and each with its distinct background, sound, and playing style. If you feel it's time to broaden your range of instruments, check out this crash course in the guitar.
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What Is What is an Lute?
It is believed that the instrument was first introduced in the middle of Mesopotamia at least 3000 BCE. Stringed instruments were made using a turtle's shell for the body. This accounts for the characteristic rounded back which it wears to this day.
The lute's journey travelled from to the east, through Central as well as Eastern Asia and west into Egypt, Greece, and Europe and Greece, it evolved into a variety of forms and styles that each had its own unique term. The family of lutes has broadened to include all instruments that have the neck as well as tuning pegs.
The majority of people are familiar with the current European instrument: a pear-shaped, hollow body with circular backs with doubled strings, and bent pegboxes, which are typically performed with the help of the plucking of strings.
Different types of Lutes
There are a myriad of different lutes. Some you may have never seen, while others you may be familiar with but didn't know they were in the same category as lutes. This is just a few instances.
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Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is described as a lute-like cousin. It is also a general name used to describe different Portuguese guitars with slight variations depending on the region they are from. They have four strings. However, generally they're designed to resemble the more traditional Acoustic guitars.
Ukulele
The ukulele belongs to the varieties of cavaquinho, and has Portuguese origin. It is now associated with Hawaiian music since it was brought to Hawaii by Portuguese explorers. It is generally believed that the ukulele is made of four nylon strings , and it's available in a variety of sizes.
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Vihuela
The vihuela originated within Spain to function as a form of lute with 12 strings that are paired. There are two variations of the vihuela, one that is played with the hands, and another that can be played using bows.
Tiple
The tiple could be described as a variant of the vihuela that evolved to its present form after it was first introduced to Central as well as South America by Spanish explorers. It's now the standard instrument used in Colombia.
Charango
The charango is an alternative vihuela style that was in high demand within and around the Andean regions in South America, particularly with the Quechuan population. The earliest versions of the instrument were constructed using the removal of the rear part of an armadillo. the charango had doubled or tripled strings.
Oud
A popular instrument in The Middle East and Central Asia The oud is the closest ancestor of the European lute. It is a lute with many of the distinctive characteristics of its European equivalent, but the neck is fretless.
Tanbur
The tanbur is an exclusive class of lutes with lengthy necks. It is played with the use of a plectrum, or bow, and is commonly used in the music of Central Asia, particularly in Turkish and Kurdish folk music.
Pipa
Pipas are an essential part of traditional Chinese music. The instrument has a variety of fascinating patterns on the lutes. It is believed by experts to be the ancestor of many different Eastern instrumentation, including the biwa instrument from Japan.
Banjo
The banjo has developed into one of the most famous instruments in American music time. But, its roots lie within the lute types of Western Africa. The slaves who came to America, they came to Americas and brought the bulk of their cultural and practices, this included music. The banjo was an evolution of the instruments.
There is a difference between Lute and Guitar
Do you find it surprising to learn that today's guitar is the most sophisticated version of guitar? That's the case! But there are some distinct differences between them.
The primary factor is the size. Most lutes are smaller than guitars due to their smaller necks and larger bodies. In addition, the body of the guitar is flat, however some lutes have rounder backs. Most guitars have six strings. Some guitars come with 4 or 14 strings.
The major difference between guitars and lutes is the tone they create. Guitars produce warm and rich tones, whereas the lute tends to be brighter and more in pitch. If played simultaneously in tandem, this permits the lute to play songs that sound similar to guitars.
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