Good morning all.

I'm just getting back into learning. I got my zither several years ago, but unfortunately got busy with life and took several years off.

Before I jump off a cliff ... could someone please advise me how to tune the low "contra-saiten" strings?

I have an old Schuster (photo attached) with the five Griffbrett strings (a a d g c), and 26 "free" strings.

The books I have (Darr, Schneider, Hintermeyer) show 27, 30, and 33 free strings. The tuning is straightforward, but in the books, the lowest six or so strings are tuned chromatically. As I have fewer than 27, 30, or 33 free strings, I don't know how to tune the lowest strings.

Is there a rule on where/why to start the chromatic (half step) tuning? Or is it just up to the player?

Thanks.
Tom in CT

Most zithers will have at least a few contrabass strings. The standard is to start with F on the 25th open string and follow that chromatically downward.

Tuning of contrabass strings ( open strings 25 - 37 ): F E Eb D C# C B Bb A G# G F# FF

Thank you Dave!

Hi Tom,

Some players string the contras chromatically starting with F, yet others will continue the rule of fifths all the way out. However, sounds like you've got a choice of two.

It might depend on the keys and type of music preferred. I started out with Darr (much in the key of G), but have drifted over to folk music (most in C, some in F, less in G). For my use, if I had only two contra strings, they'd be E and C, enabling the closing base run of C(base), G(base), E (contra) and C (contra)...or maybe even F and C contra, "detuning" the F to E when needed.

By the way, Don Offinger is out there in CT; I have visited family there, but time constraints prevented contact.

Merry Christmas

Rudi

Hello again Tom,

If re-starting, I'd highly recommend Keyes scales lessons, available on this site.

A friend of mine purchased some self teaching "beginner" books, which had him starting in the fourth position. His progress was quite slow, and it is now difficult to "unlearn" some of the habits acquired. For self teaching, Darr, and Kabatek (also available on Zither.us) would be among my choices; Darr for technical aspects and right hand coordination, Kabatek because of the folk music included as "lessons", and Keyes for developing dexterity.

Rudi

Tom-

As Rudi mentioned, I'm here in the Wilton-Norwalk area (southwestern CT). If you would like to meet up with zither in hand, send me an email and will see what we can do. DonOffinger@juno.com