The Lute: A Happy Family of Instruments | Blog
Learn Online Class in the field of Music
Piano, guitar music composition and more.
Explore the lute family of instruments. There are hundreds of different kinds of lute instruments, each one with their own distinctive background, tone, and playing style. If you feel it's time to expand your repertoire of instruments, here's a crash course in the guitar.
Quick Links
What Is What is a Lute?
Historians estimate that the instrument was first introduced in ancient Mesopotamia at least 3000 BCE. The stringed instruments were constructed from a turtle's shell as the body, which accounts for the characteristic rounded back that it still wears until today.
When the lute travelled east into Central as well as Eastern Asia and west into Egypt, Greece, and Europe, it changed into a variety of designs and shapes, each with its own unique term. The lute family has expanded to encompass all instruments with a neck and tuning pegs.
Most people are probably familiar with the modern European instrument: a pear-shaped, hollow body with a round back, doubled strings, as well as bent pegboxes that are mostly played using plucking strings.
Different types of Lutes
There are a myriad of varieties of lute instruments. Some you may have never seen, while others you may be familiar with and just didn't know they were in the same family as the lutes. These are only some instances.
Mandolin
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho can be described as a lute cousin. It is also a general term used to describe the various Portuguese guitars that have slight variations based on the region they are from. They are equipped with four strings, but typically, they are designed like the traditional Acoustic guitars.
Ukulele
The ukulele is one of the varieties of cavaquinho, and is of Portuguese origin. It has since become most associated with Hawaiian music after being brought to the islands by Portuguese explorers. In general, the ukulele is made of four nylon strings , and it comes in a variety of sizes.
Start Strumming Today
Learn to Play the Ukulele: Beginner Masterclass
Vihuela
The vihuela originated within Spain to be a type of lute, with 12 paired strings. There are two variants of the vihuela: one that is played with the hand and one that is played with bows.
Tiple
The tiple can be described as a variant of the vihuela that evolved in its own form when it was introduced across Central as well as South America by Spanish explorers. It is now the official instrument in Colombia.
Charango
The charango is a different vihuela type that was popular within the Andean regions of South America, particularly with the Quechuan populace. The earliest versions of the instrument were constructed by removing the rear of an armadillo, and the charango has doubled or tripled strings.
Oud
Commonly used widely in The Middle East and Central Asia The oud is the closest ancestor of the European lute. It is a lute with all the unique trademarks of its European counterpart, except it has a fretless neck.
Tanbur
The tanbur represents a unique classification of lutes that have lengthy necks. It can be played using the use of a plectrum, or bow, and they are traditionally employed in music from Central Asia, particularly in Turkish and Kurdish folk music.
Pipa
Pipas are a staple of traditional Chinese music. It has an incredibly interesting designs in the lutes. It is believed by experts to be the progenitor for many different Eastern lute instruments, like the biwa instrument from Japan.
Banjo
The banjo has evolved into the most iconic instrument within American musical history. However, it's roots are in the lute varieties of Western Africa. When slaves came to the Americas and brought with them the majority of their culture and customs, which included music. The banjo was an evolution of the instruments.
The difference between Lute and Guitar
Would it surprise you to be aware that the guitar of today is the most advanced form of the guitar? It is! However, there are some distinct differences between them.
The first is size. Most lutes are smaller than guitars, due to their smaller necks as well as larger bodies. Additionally, the guitar's body is flat, however, a number of lutes have rounder backs. The majority of guitars feature six strings, while some lutes have from 4 to fourteen.
The main difference between guitars and lutes is the sound they produce. Guitars are warm and full tones, whereas the lute is typically brighter and higher pitched. When played at the same time, this allows the lute to sing songs that sound like guitars.
Absolutely Fun
Get Started on Your Music Journey
Beginning Mandolin Class to Learn the Mandolin From Scratch!