Anyone out there playing a zither with 6 string griffbrett and first begleitung string = a flat?
If the sixth string is F below C, is the music arranged with treble clef? Any arrangements specifically for this type of instrument?
Anyone know of a good source for the a flat begleitung string?
Rudy
old, old zither
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Re: old, old zither
Hi Rudy:
One of the zithers that I built, in 2011, includes the Begleit a-flat string. That gives me a full, high, a-flat chord as well as a full f-minor chord in the begleit section. I just use an a-flat string designed for Vienna Tuning, even though the rest of the zither is in Munich Tuning. I noticed that the old Darr Method included the begleit a-flat string in the tuning diagram.
That string is normally referred to as number 0. It's also convenient if you want to play a partial c-sharp chord in the Begleit section!
Some ideas: There is an old form of 6-string tuning known as the ''Stuttgart Stimmung." That tuning, from the 1st to the 6th string, went: e', e', a, d, G. That almost looks like an Elegie Zither tuning, but applies to a Concert or Deskant zither. I experimented on a concert zither by replacing the first Griff-a string with a steel guitar string of a size 0.010 in. diameter ( 0.25 mm.). It tuned perfectly to the high e', which is found on the Griff-a string at the 7th fret.
The tone is loud and sweet! The .010 string can be bought at any good guitar shop ( i.e. Brand name: "D'Addario, size "PL010 Accoustic or Electric Plain Steel.") .
As for the 6th string as a Contra Bass F, I don't know if the old sheet music was arranged in the Treble Clef.
To find an F below bass C string, that would require some trial-and -error experimentation and may work if you use a relatively low-tension guitar string. I would measure an open Contra Bass F zither string (#25 in Munich Tuning) with a micrometer as a guide to the diameter. But for fret board use, it would most likely need to be a looser tension than that of a zither Kontra F. I wish you success und Gut Klang.
One of the zithers that I built, in 2011, includes the Begleit a-flat string. That gives me a full, high, a-flat chord as well as a full f-minor chord in the begleit section. I just use an a-flat string designed for Vienna Tuning, even though the rest of the zither is in Munich Tuning. I noticed that the old Darr Method included the begleit a-flat string in the tuning diagram.
That string is normally referred to as number 0. It's also convenient if you want to play a partial c-sharp chord in the Begleit section!
Some ideas: There is an old form of 6-string tuning known as the ''Stuttgart Stimmung." That tuning, from the 1st to the 6th string, went: e', e', a, d, G. That almost looks like an Elegie Zither tuning, but applies to a Concert or Deskant zither. I experimented on a concert zither by replacing the first Griff-a string with a steel guitar string of a size 0.010 in. diameter ( 0.25 mm.). It tuned perfectly to the high e', which is found on the Griff-a string at the 7th fret.
The tone is loud and sweet! The .010 string can be bought at any good guitar shop ( i.e. Brand name: "D'Addario, size "PL010 Accoustic or Electric Plain Steel.") .
As for the 6th string as a Contra Bass F, I don't know if the old sheet music was arranged in the Treble Clef.
To find an F below bass C string, that would require some trial-and -error experimentation and may work if you use a relatively low-tension guitar string. I would measure an open Contra Bass F zither string (#25 in Munich Tuning) with a micrometer as a guide to the diameter. But for fret board use, it would most likely need to be a looser tension than that of a zither Kontra F. I wish you success und Gut Klang.
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Re: old, old zither
Beautiful! and thank you! At the moment this instrument is at our daughter's home in Germany.
Does adding the e above a make this a sort of mutant quint zither, with e, a, a, d, g, and c on the griffbrett? I can hardly wait to try this. This might minimize the need to play in 4th lage and higher on the a strings.
Another change I will try is to skip the a flat or "0" begleitung string, move all of the open strings one position nearer to the griffbrett, and possibly add another contra bass at the other end.
Rudy
Does adding the e above a make this a sort of mutant quint zither, with e, a, a, d, g, and c on the griffbrett? I can hardly wait to try this. This might minimize the need to play in 4th lage and higher on the a strings.
Another change I will try is to skip the a flat or "0" begleitung string, move all of the open strings one position nearer to the griffbrett, and possibly add another contra bass at the other end.
Rudy
Re: old, old zither
I don't know details (yet), but I have seen a zither in Bavaria with six griffbrett strings which was presented as a "Rudi Knabl Zither." Here is another picture of a not so old Sandner model with "Griffbrett nach Rudi Knabl":
http://www.carsten-weber-online.de/cgi- ... i?weblog=1
Joseph Maurer
http://www.carsten-weber-online.de/cgi- ... i?weblog=1
Joseph Maurer
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Re: old, old zither
Here is the photo to go along with the note of June 9.
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