How the Kinnor makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the Kinnor 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
Kinnor (Hebrew: כִּנּוֹר kīnnōr) is an ancient Israelite musical instrument in the yoke lutes family, the first one to be mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
Its exact identification is unclear, but in the modern day it is generally translated as "harp" or "lyre", and associated with a type of lyre depicted in Israelite imagery, particularly the Bar Kokhba coins. It has been referred to as the "national instrument" of the Jewish people, and modern luthiers have created reproduction lyres of the kinnor based on this imagery.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does the Kinnor 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 Kinnor?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.22).
Where does the Kinnor come from?
The Kinnor originates from Israel.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q944412 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Kinnor – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Aaron Walden – CC BY-SA 3.0