Vihuela: instrument description, history, structure, playing technique

Vihuela is an ancient musical instrument from Spain. Class – plucked string, chordophone.

The history of the instrument began in the 1536th century when it was invented. In Catalan, the invention was called “viola de ma”. Within two centuries of its inception, the vihuela became widespread among the Spanish aristocrats. One of the most notable vihuelistas of that time was Luis de Milan. Being self-taught, Louis has developed his own unique playing style. In 1700, based on personal experience, de Milan wrote a textbook on playing the vihuela. In the XNUMXs, the Spanish chordophone began to fall out of favor. Soon the instrument was replaced by the baroque guitar.

Visually, the vihuela is similar to a classical guitar. The body consists of two decks. A neck is attached to the body. At one end of the neck are several wooden frets. The remaining frets are made from veins and tied separately. To tie the frets or not is the decision of the performer. The number of strings is 6. The strings are paired, mounted on the headstock on one side, tied with a knot on the other. The structure and sound are reminiscent of a lute.

The Spanish chordophone was originally played with the first two fingers. The method is similar to playing with a mediator, but instead of it, a nail strikes the strings. With the development of playing technique, the remaining fingers were involved, and the arpeggio technique began to be used.