langspil

The langspil (; meaning long-play) is a traditional Icelandic drone zither. It has a single melody string and usually 2 drone strings.

Key facts

Instrument.name: Langspil
Instrument.image: Langspil.jpg
Instrument.image_capt: Langspil in the National Museum of Iceland, in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Instrument.background: string
Instrument.classification: String instruments
Instrument.hornbostel_sachs: 314.1
Instrument.hornbostel_sachs_desc: true board zither
Instrument.related: Langeleik, Scheitholt, Epinette des Vosges, Dulcimer

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Wikidata facts

Image: Langspil.jpg

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Commons category: Langspil
Hornbostel-Sachs classification: 314.122

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The langspil (; meaning long-play) is a traditional Icelandic drone zither. It has a single melody string and usually 2 drone strings.

The langspil can be played by plucking the strings by hand, with a bow or by hammering. Langspils exist in two basic versions, straight and curved and are generally around the length of , and can be as long as or as short as . Many different types of wood have traditionally been used, including pine, fir, beechwood, birch, oak and walnut, since they were generally constructed from driftwood.