waldzither
The waldzither (German: "forest zither") is a plucked string instrument from Germany. It is a type of cittern that has nine (sometimes ten) steel strings in five courses. Different types of waldzither come in different tunings, which are generally open tunings as usual in citterns.
waldzither
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- Name
- Waldzither
- Field
- necked box lute · cittern
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The waldzither (German: "forest zither") is a plucked string instrument from Germany. It is a type of cittern that has nine (sometimes ten) steel strings in five courses. Different types of waldzither come in different tunings, which are generally open tunings as usual in citterns.
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wikidata · Q2542042 · wikipedia · Waldzither
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Overview
Overview
The most Common Tuning for the Waldzither is Open C (C3, G3, C4, E4, G4) which is the same tuning as a Banjeaurine (or a 5 string Banjo with a Capo on the 5th fret) except that the 5th string is 2 Octaves lower than on the Banjeaurine. It is one of the few instruments to stick to Preston tuners, another being the Portuguese guitar. Producers of the waldzither attempted to establish it as a national instrument of Germany in the first half of the 20th century, when more complicated instruments were hard to get and to afford. Martin Luther was popularly said to have played a similar cittern at the Wartburg.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Waldzither • Background — string • Classification — String instrument • Hornbostel Sachs — 321.322 • Hornbostel Sachs Desc — necked box lute • Developed — Germany
Waldoline
Waldoline
When the lowest single course is omitted, it is sometimes called a waldoline, a portmanteau of waldzither and mandoline.
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reference work
- “Waldzither”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2542042: waldzither
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1- citternTerminology
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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