How the Hardanger fiddle makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the Hardanger fiddle 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.
Players shape its sound through technique and materials; the resonating body filters the raw vibration, boosting some harmonics and damping others.
From Wikipedia
A hardanger fiddle (Norwegian: hardingfele) is a traditional stringed instrument considered the national instrument of Norway. In modern designs, this type of fiddle is very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings (rather than four as on a standard violin) and thinner wood. The earliest known example of the hardingfele is from 1651, made by Ole Jonsen Jaastad in Hardanger, Norway. Originally, the instrument had a rounder, narrower body. Around the year 1850, the modern layout with a body much like the violin became the norm.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does the Hardanger fiddle 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 Hardanger fiddle?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-71).
Where does the Hardanger fiddle come from?
The Hardanger fiddle originates from Norway.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q178933 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Hardanger fiddle – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Frode Inge Helland – CC BY-SA 3.0