zither tuning

[Keith Roberts]

Thank you... I will forward this to him.
Keith R

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Kanter" <jkanter@rollingball.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 8:03 PM
Subject: Re: zither tuning


> >From http://www.zithers.com/Stringing.html
>
> There are two zither stringing formats in use today: Munich and Vienna.
> Munich is the most commonly used because it incorporates every note in the
> chromatic scale encompassed by the scope of the instrument. The stringing
> pattern on the fretboard is like the violin family, a fifth apart. The
open
> strings are in the circle of fifths, broken between Eb and Ab an laid flat
> on the zither, similar to a accordion layout.
>
> In addition to the basic 29 fretboard, accompaniment and bass strings,
> zithers may have 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 13 contra bass strings - the full harp
> zither has 42 strings (5 fretboard and 37 open strings). In some early
> versions, and on perfecta zithers, the contra basses were arranged in the
> same circle of fifths as the accompaniment and bass strings. Munich tuning
> was often expressed in treble clef (violin key, or similar to guitar clef)
> but today is mostly written in bass clef.
>
> Viennese Tuning was/is prevalent in Austria/Hungarian Empire regions
(i.e.,
> Bohemia, Vienna) and stems from the teachings of Carl J. Umlauf in the
> middle 19th Centry, while Munich Tuning generally speaking, stems from the
> teachings of Adam Darr and others in Bavaria. Viennese tuning was always
> written in bass clef.
>
> Zithers tuned in the Viennese mode have 38 strings - the addition of the
> first accompaniment string of ab-0 and 8 contra bass strings comprise the
> total strings. Other differences are the fretboard has a high "g" instead
of
> two "a¹s", strings g-5 and f#-10 are an octave higher, and 5 contra basses
> are inserted in the bass strings: Eb-13, F-15, D-18, E-20 and C#-23.
> Zitherists working in entertainment settings often utilized the 5 contra
> basses, but not other features of the Viennese tuning.
>
>
>
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> jason kanter * piano tuning * piano teaching
> bellevue, wa * 425 562 4127 * cell 425 831 1561
> orcas island * 360 376 2799
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>
>
> From: "Keith Roberts" <kpiano@goldrush.com>
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 15:46:53 -0700
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: zither tuning
>
>
> I had a customer ask if I knew how to tune a zither. About two octaves of
> tuning pins and a fretted section with guitar type tuning pegs. I think I
> saw one once about 40 years ago. Can't recall if anyone played it.
> Keith R.
>
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