Stringed instruments

The Pythagorean sixchord (''syntonon'')

            It was a stringed board instrument used to study the musical concords in relation to the tension of the strings which produced them.  It consisted of a rectangular wooden soundbox, two parallel bridges and six, equal in length and thickness, parallel strings which were each stretched by different weights. The shape of the table and the ratios of the weights (4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16) which were used emanate from a later wood engraving. It is quite probable that the bridges could be moved altering the tonality of the produced scale.

SOURCES: "K. Kormiranjos, Syntonon, the archaic santouri"

The ''lyra'' (lyre)

           It was an ancient stringed instrument (invented by Hermes) which was already popular and widespread in Mycenaean times.Closely associated with the worship of Apollo and a means of education for young persons, it constituted, along with the "aulos" (clarinet), the national (and often "competitive") musical instrument of the Greeks.

         In its earliest form ("chelys"), it consisted of the soundbox (with a palpitating membrane from the skin of an ox or kid stretched over the open side of a concave tortoise shell), the two arms (made of goat horns or two similar curved wooden rods) and the crossbar (a cylindrical piece of wood connected across to the arms). The, equal in length, strings (from 3 to 12) were primarily made of hemp or flax and later of twisted animal (e.g. sheep) gut or sinew. The strings were secured to a brace (tailpiece), passed over the bridge ("magadion") and tightened on the crossbar. The adjustment of tension (tuning) was initially achieved with the help of a thong, later with a free or fixed slip of wood, but also wooden tuning pegs ("kollavoi").

          The player held the instrument against the left side of his body (often with the help of a sling). The left-hand fingers pressed or plucked the strings while the right hand struck the strings with a "plectrum". The "plectrum", which was attached by a cord, consisted of a curved handle and a pointed blade of ivory, horn or bone.

SOURCES: "Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments", "Plutarch, On Music", "Athenaeus of Naucratis, Deipnosophistai", "Julius Pollux, Onomasticon", "Nicomachus, "Manual of Harmonics", "Loukianus, Dialogues of the Gods"

Apollo's ''kithara'' (guitar)

        It was a majestic stringed instrument with a powerful and deep sound which required particular virtuo-sity and accompanied the song ("kitharodeia") in music competitions and other important public events.
            It consisted of a large trapezoid wooden soundbox with two incorporated symmetrical solid curved arms that were connected to two upper arms. The connecting flexible curlicues (a compli-cated adjusting mechanism of curved metal strips, horns, etc). The elasticity of the arms allowed them imperceptible vertical motion thus creating a distinct wave-like resonance. Τhe two (possibly cam rotating) prominent spirals on the upper arms, which supported the crossbar, helped in releasing and adjustment of tension of the crossbar (and the strings) so that the organ is at rest or playing position. Also the sliding balance bronze weights of the crossbar helped in its tuning. The bridge ("magadion") which was sometimes also complicated with a series of incorporated tension levers gave the possibility of alternative, equal in number, note production.
        The player held the kithara almost upright against the left side of his body (bent slightly inward, often with the help of a sling) and the left-hand fingers pressed or plucked its strings (usually 7) while the right hand struck them with the "plectrum".
Terpander (who established the 7th string), Stesichorus, Amiveas of Athens, Aristonicus of Argos (who introduced solo playing -unaccompanied by song), Agelaus of Tegea and Lysander of Sicyon are only some of the numerous famous charismatic kitharodes.
SOURCES: "M.L. West, Ancient Greek Music", "Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments", "Plutarch, On Music", "Athenaeus of Naucratis, Deipnosophistai" "Julius Pollux, Onomasticon", "Nicomachus, Manual of Harmonics".

The ''sambyke'' (sambuca)

It was a sensual stringed instrument which accompanied symposiums and orgiastic cults. Similar in form to the homonymous siege machine mounted on a ship, it was probably invented by the poet Ibykos around the 6th century B.C. and was first played at feasts by the wandering Sybillis.

It consisted of a soundbox (made from tortoise-shell or from wood of the same form and a long wooden or horn arc-shaped arm. It usually had eight strings which ran from a hidden tailpiece (along and under the stretched leather surface of the soundbox) and tightened on the tuning pegs of the arm.  The player (usually a woman) plucked the strings with the fingers of both hands.

SOURCES: "M.L. West, Ancient Greek Music", "Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments", "Plutarch, On Music", "Athenaeus of Naucratis, Deipnosophistai" "Julius Pollux, Onomasticon", "Nicomachus, "Manual of Harmonics", Aristoxenus of Tarentum, "On Instruments".

The ''triangle'' (harp)

It was of the most ancient multi-stringed instrument with unequal in length strings. Its sound was sweet and ethereal.

It consisted of a wooden soundbox, an arm and a side supporting pillar shaping a triangle, as that of the eminent harpist of Leros (Cycladic figurine of the 2800 B.C.). Its soundbox, in the Classical years, was usually spindle-shaped (widest in the middle, tapering to the ends) and had a stretched palpitating membrane while its arm brought the pegs for the tuning of the strings. The strings began along the leather surface of the soundbox and ended (parallel or converging slightly) at the arm.

The seated player (almost always a woman who was called "psaltriai") held the harp with the arm of the instrument horizontally above her left thigh and the soundbox standing next to her body. With the fingers of both hands, she plucked the strings that varied from nine to twenty-two.

SOURCES: "M.L. West, Ancient Greek Music", "Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments", "Julius Pollux, Onomasticon", "Apollodorus, The Library", "Aristotle, (Musical) Problems", "Plutarch, On Music", "Ptolemy, Harmonics", "Nicomachus, Manual of Harmonics", "Aristoxenus of Tarentum, Harmonic Elements".

The Orpheus's ''kithara'' (guitar)

            It was an impressive stringed instrument which is also called "Thracian" guitar because it first appears (in vase paintings) in the hands of mythical Thracian singers (Orpheus and Thamyras).
It consisted of a small crescent-shaped wooden soundbox (convex of the phorminx) without extentions for its arms. The arms were thin and willowy like those of the barbitos with different curves for their imperceptible motion thus creating a distinct wave-like resonance. Its strings were usually seven, of medium tonality, since their length was between that of the phorminx and the barbitos. The strings started at the tailpiece, passed over the bridge ("magadion") and tied round the crossbar with the help of a thong, or with free or fixed slips of wood. The careful rotation of the leather bulge or slip of each string permitted its tuning.
         The standing or seated player balanced the kithara upright against the left side of his body pressing it leterally against his belly (with the help of a sling which went through the left arm of the instrument and his left wrist). The free fingers pressed or plucked its strings while the right hand struck them with the "plectrum".
SOURCES: "M.L. West, Ancient Greek Music", "Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments", "Plutarch, On Music", "Julius Pollux, Onomasticon", "Nicomachus,"Manual of Harmonics".