Chitarrone
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The Chitarrone is a kind of lute that was popular around 1600. It has an extended neck to hold the very long bass strings. These strings have no fingerboard, and are played "open" - each string sounding only its own pitch. The high (short) strings have their own fingerboard with frets, and are fingered like those of the modern guitar.
| Family |
| Strings |
| Pitch range |
| Up to four octaves. |
| Material |
| Wooden body and neck, with strings of gut or metal. |
| Size |
| Up to about 6 ft (1.80 m) long, of which the body is 28 in (70 cm). |
| Origins |
| The chitatrrone first appeared in Italy during the 16th century, and was in common use there until the middle of the 17th century. |
| Classification |
| Chordophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of strings. |
| And also... |
| The name of the chitarrone stems from the Greek word "kithara," which translates as "lyre." Like the ancient Greek lyre, the chitarrone was used mainly to accompany solo singing. |
