Plucked string instrument

Guitar and lute This illustration in a French Psalter from the 9th century (c. 830) shows a little known plucked string instrument called cythara in manuscripts. Stringed instruments hanging on a wall. Shown here are 4 Ukuleles, 2 Mandolins, a Banjo, a Guitar, a Violin, a Guraitar and a Bass guitar. Qanún/kanun, origin from ancient Mesopotamia Kantele Plucked string instruments are a subcategory of string instruments that are played by plucking the strings. Plucking is a way of pulling and releasing the string in such a way as to give it an impulse that causes the string to vibrate. Plucking can be done with either a finger or a plectrum.

Most plucked string instruments belong to the lute family (such as guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, balalaika, sitar, pipa, etc.), which generally consist of a resonating body, and a neck; the strings run along the neck and can be stopped at different pitches.