How the trigonon makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the trigonon belongs to the harps: strings run at an angle away from the soundboard, each plucked open.
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
A trigonon (trígōnon, from Greek "τρίγωνον", "triangle") is a small triangular ancient Greek harp occasionally used by the ancient Greeks and probably derived from Assyria or Egypt. The trigonon is thought to be either a variety of the sambuca or identical with it.
Other harps
Frequently asked questions
What does a trigonon sound like?
As one of the harps, its sound comes from the way strings run at an angle away from the soundboard, each plucked open.
What type of instrument is the trigonon?
It is classified as harps (Hornbostel–Sachs 322.12).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q30038873 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Trigonon – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Unknown author Unknown author – Public domain