There is something quite enchanting about the silvery sound of the psaltery. Its name probably originates in religious use, as an accompaniment to singing songs from the psalms, known as psalmody and sung from a psalter, thus the psaltery.

One noticeable thing about the bowed psaltery’s sound is its sustain. With a violin, the strings are almost always dampened by a finger when bowing. With the bowed psaltery, the strings are completely open and unrestricted, resulting in increased sustain. The notes hang in the air with a beautiful ringing charm.