How the frame zither makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the frame zither belongs to the frame zithers: strings are stretched across an open frame.
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
Frame zither is a class of musical instrument (subset of zither) within the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system for a type of simple chordophone (stringed instrument), in which the body of the instrument is made from a frame.
Frame zithers are musical instruments in which strings are strung across an open frame. They could be similar to harps and psalteries which can also have strings stretched across frames. However, in harps the strings run from the frame to a resonating table embedded into the frame on the frame's other end. Psalteries may also have a frame, but behind the strings (parallel to them) is a board, the top of a box which acts as a resonator.
Frequently asked questions
What does a frame zither sound like?
As one of the frame zithers, its sound comes from the way strings are stretched across an open frame.
What type of instrument is the frame zither?
It is classified as frame zithers (Hornbostel–Sachs 316).