How the quinton makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the quinton 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.
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
The quinton is a bowed musical instrument, in use mostly in France in the 18th century (between 1730 and 1789). It takes its name from the fact that, in ensembles, it played the quinta vox or quintus. Another derivation of the name may be from the number of strings and for consonance with violon. By the same name it is sometimes denoted the pardessus de viole, an originally six-stringed instrument of the family of the viols, since the pardessus lost one string and adopted the same tuning of the quinton. However, while the pardessus is viol-shaped, the quinton is violin-shaped.
Other lutes
More instruments from France
Accordion
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones
Hurdy-gurdy
Lutes
Barrel organ
Flutes (edge-blown)
Ophicleide
Brass (lip-vibrated aerophones)
Tambourine de Bearn
struck string instrument; zither
Luthéal
hybrid piano with an attachment for changing timbre
Cannone da 75/27 modello 11
1912 Italian 75 mm field gun
Selmer guitar
acoustic guitar manufactured by Henri Selmer Paris
Frequently asked questions
What does a quinton 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 quinton?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-71).
Where does the quinton come from?
The quinton originates from France.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q1243782 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Quinton (musical instrument) – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Frinck51 – CC BY 3.0