How the nyatiti makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the nyatiti 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 nyatiti is a five to eight-stringed plucked bowl yoke lute from Kenya. It is a classical instrument played by the Luo people of Western Kenya, specifically in the Siaya region north of Kisumu. It is about two to three feet long with a bowl-shaped, carved wood resonator covered in cow skin. Historically, strings were fashioned from cattle tendons, but modern players almost exclusively use nylon and plastic fishing line of various sizes, a move which changed the sound of the nyatiti drastically.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a nyatiti 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 nyatiti?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.21-5).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q3346604 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Nyatiti – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Daderot – CC0 1.0