Drone zithers or droned zithers are stringed instruments of the

zither Zithers (; , from the Greek word ''cithara'') are a class of stringed instruments. Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat bo ...

family that have few (sometimes only one)

melodic A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combinat ...

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

and a greater number of

drone Drone most commonly refers to: * Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft * Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...

strings. The oldest known form of drone zither is the

Scheitholt The scheitholt or scheitholz is a traditional German stringed instrument and an ancestor of the modern zither. It falls into the category of drone zithers. History The scheitholt may have derived from an ancient Greek instrument for theoretical ...

. The Scheitholt developed into many different variants of drone zithers, such as the

Langspil The langspil (; meaning ''long-play'') is a traditional Icelandic drone zither. It has a single melody string and usually 2 drone strings. The langspil can be played by plucking the strings by hand, with a bow or by hammering. Langspils exist ...

, the

Epinette des Vosges The ''épinette des Vosges'' () is a traditional plucked-string instrument of the zither family, whose use was confined to two areas in the Vosges mountains of France approximately 50 km apart: around Val-d'Ajol and around Gérardmer. Or ...

or the Hummel. The

Appalachian dulcimer The Appalachian dulcimer (many variant names; see below) is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, originally played in the Appalachian region of the United States. The body extends the length of ...

is a traditional American form.

References

*Josef Brandlmeier. ''Handbuch der Zither. T. 1. Die Geschichte des Instruments und der Kunst des Zitherspiels''. Süddeutscher Verlag, 1963. ISBN B0000BGRV8.

External links

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Box zithers {{zither-instrument-stub