How the viola d'amore makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the viola d'amore 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 viola d'amore is a 6- or 7-stringed musical instrument with additional sympathetic strings, which is often associated with music of the Baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin. A player of the instrument may be called a violist d'amore, or simply referred to as a viola d'amore player.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a viola d'amore 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 viola d'amore?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-71).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q742180 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Viola d'amore – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by User:Frinck51 – CC BY-SA 3.0