Earth zither

The earth zither is a stringed instrument in which one or more strings are stretched over a hole in the ground. Their centers are connected by a web to a membrane that covers the pit. A thin wooden board placed over the pit serves as the membrane. The principle corresponds to that of a musical bow , the tuning loop of which is attached to the center of the string and connected to a resonator. With both instruments two different high notes can be produced by striking the strings with sticks on both sides of the division.

According to Curt Sachs, the earth zither in the basic form described was known in Africa in Bioko and Madagascar and in Asia in Annam , Malacca , Madura and Java .

The earth zither cái trống quân rhythmically accompanies the alternating song of young men and women trống quân in Central Vietnam .

literature

• Curt Sachs : Spirit and development of musical instruments . Reimer, Berlin 1928; New edition: Frits AM Knuf, Hilversum 1965, p. 59f