How the citole makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the citole belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The citole was a string musical instrument, closely associated with the medieval fiddles (viol, vielle, gigue) and commonly used from 1200–1350. It was known by other names in various languages: cedra, cetera, cetola, cetula, cistola, citola, citula, citera, chytara, cistole, cithar, cuitole, cythera, cythol, cytiole, cytolys, gytolle, sitole, sytholle, sytole, and zitol.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a citole sound like?
As one of the lutes, its sound comes from the way strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck.
What type of instrument is the citole?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-6).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q665657 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Citole – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by User:Romainbehar – CC0 1.0