How the tromba marina makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the tromba marina 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
A tromba marina, marine trumpet, trumpet marine or nuns' fiddle (Fr. trompette marine; Ger. Marientrompete, Trompetengeige, Nonnengeige or Trumscheit, Pol. tubmaryna) is a triangular bowed string instrument used in medieval and Renaissance Europe that was highly popular in the 15th century in England and survived into the 18th century. The tromba marina consists of a body and neck in the shape of a truncated cone resting on a triangular base. It is usually four to seven feet long, and is a monochord (although some versions have sympathetically-vibrating strings). It is played without stopping the string, but playing natural harmonics by lightly touching the string with the thumb at nodal points. Its name comes from its trumpet like sound due to the unusual construction of the bridge, and the resemblance of its contour to the marine speaking-trumpet of the Middle Ages.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a tromba marina 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 tromba marina?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.321-71).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q1095084 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Tromba marina – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Original uploader was User:Villanueva at hu.wikipedia – Public domain