How the chekker makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the chekker belongs to the board zithers: strings are stretched across a flat board or box – the family of the piano, harpsichord and hammered dulcimer.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
The chekker (or archiquier, eschequier, scaquer, scacarum, Schachtbret) is a European early musical instrument of the Middle Ages, first documented in 1360, whose exact details are a matter of academic debate. Some have suggested that the name is simply an alternate term for the clavichord, virginal, or similar early keyboard instrument, while others suggest that it refers to a distinctly different stringed keyboard instrument not otherwise well-attested.
Other board zithers
Frequently asked questions
What does a chekker sound like?
As one of the board zithers, its sound comes from the way strings are stretched across a flat board or box.
What type of instrument is the chekker?
It is classified as board zithers (Hornbostel–Sachs 314.122).