The Concert Zither sounds incredible and its the best instrument. So lets discover what it can do and talk about the best things about it.
Tuning
There are 2 types of tuning for the zither – Munich Tuning and Vienna Tuning. The harp strings cover 2 octaves and the tuning is based on the circle of 5ths. The fretboard is also based on the circle of 5ths. You can tune the harp strings with a tuning key and the fretboard with the tuning pegs. The fretboard can be helpful for tuning the harp strings and vice versa.
Concert Zither Strings
It has many strings, a good mix of metal strings and colourful nylon strings. I down tuned the strings a tone because it helps preserve the instrument and haven’t had to replace any of them in many years. The final 3 strings at the top of the instrument are the lowest notes and I tuned the final string to C.
Concert Zither Design
It can be amplified through a table via its legs and get really loud. It is normally quite easy to transport it with a bag/case and find a good place for it in the house. There is a good design on the metal part at top of the fretboard near the tuning pegs and everything on there is interesting. The tuning key can be moved to different pegs easily and all of the strings can be tuned rather quickly.
Learning The Instrument
I learnt to play a few songs, major and minor chords on the zither with my zither teacher. I practiced it for a while and found where all the notes were. Nowadays I learn songs by following chord sheets and figuring out melodies on the fretboard. Lately, I’ve focused on playing two strings for each note on the fretboard. I’m also focused on discovering which notes go best with chords so I can add more detail to the music.
