psaltery
Plucked medieval strings
A psaltery is an ancient stringed instrument played by plucking, similar to a zither or dulcimer.
It has a flat soundboard with strings stretched across it, held upright or laid flat while playing.
The instrument appears frequently in biblical references and medieval European music: David played the psaltery and harp.
Largely obsolete today except in historical performance.
Small plucked string instrument
- harpPlucked orchestral strings
- zitherFlat stringed instrument, played horizontally
- antiquityGreat age, ancient era
- SumeriansAncient southern Mesopotamian people
Assyrians · Babylonians · Egyptians · Greeks · archaeology · artifacts · frescoes · mosaics
Tone-amplifying wooden surface
- stringsThin flexible lines
- pluckedPulled out forcefully
- trapezoidPolygon with parallel pair
- woodenMade from timber
resonance · tuning · pegs · bridge · frame · gut · wire · plectrum
Stringed percussion instrument
- zitherFlat stringed instrument, played horizontally
- harpsichordPlucked-string keyboard instrument
- autoharpButton-bar chord instrument
- hammeredSeverely intoxicated or pounded
Medieval bowed string instrument
- hurdy-gurdyCranked wheel-friction chordophone
- troubadourMedieval Provençal lyric poet
- minstrelTraveling performer of songs
- courtlyRefined and dignified
manuscript · illumination · bard · jongleur · Gregorian · plainchant · monastic · scriptorium
Large lute with extended bass strings
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- clavichordSoft-toned keyed instrument
- lutePear-bodied fretted strings
- consortRoyal spouse
lyre
Small plucked string instrument
- harpPlucked orchestral strings
- zitherFlat stringed instrument, played horizontally
- antiquityGreat age, ancient era
Sumerians · Assyrians · Babylonians · Egyptians · Greeks · archaeology · artifacts · frescoes · mosaics · papyrus
soundboard
Tone-amplifying wooden surface
wooden · resonance · tuning · pegs · bridge · frame · gut · wire · plectrum · quill
dulcimer
Stringed percussion instrument
- zitherFlat stringed instrument, played horizontally
- harpsichordPlucked-string keyboard instrument
- autoharpButton-bar chord instrument
rebec
Medieval bowed string instrument
- hurdy-gurdyCranked wheel-friction chordophone
- troubadourMedieval Provençal lyric poet
- minstrelTraveling performer of songs
courtly · manuscript · illumination · bard · jongleur · Gregorian · plainchant · monastic · scriptorium
archlute
Large lute with extended bass strings
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- clavichordSoft-toned keyed instrument
- lutePear-bodied fretted strings
David
Masculine Hebrew name
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- templeSacred worship structure
- LevitesIsraelite religious attendants
psalmist · tabernacle · liturgy · canticle · praise · Solomon · Hebrew · covenant · altar · sacred
psalteryviolin
Bowed string instrument
viol · hurdy-gurdy · rebec · clavichord · harpsichord
psalterysynthesizer
Electronic sound-generating instrument
electric guitar · electronic keyboard · drum machine · theremin · sampler