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  What musical instruments were in the era of the knights, troubadours and the beautiful ladies?

  The Musical instruments would also be used by the Medieval musicians: the Minstrels or Troubadours. The oldest Medieval musical instrument was the human voice! The spread of Christianity in the Medieval period led to the popularity of hymns and secular songs. The earliest Church organ dates back to to the 8th Century. Many of the musical instruments of the Middle Ages were the forerunners to our modern musical instruments.

  In the Middle Ages, there were many musical instruments that can be classified as follows:

  Woodwind - various pipes or bagpipes

  String - instruments, the sound of which was extracted with a bow (bowed) or fingers (plucked)

  Percussion - various forms of drums and bells

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Lute

  The lute is one of the main symbols of medieval music. By the nature of its sound, it is a bit similar to the guitar we are used to, however, its voice is much softer and more gentle, and the timbre is quivering and velvety, since it is more saturated

Lute

Harp

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  The harp was a favorite instrument of the troubadours and minstrels and was about 30 inches in length

Medieval Harp

Dulcimer

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  The Dulcimer was played by striking the strings with small hammers

Bagpipe

  The Bagpipe was an ancient reed wind instrument instrument, used by the poorest people and was made using a goat or sheep skin and a reed pipe

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Trumpet

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The Trumpet - long instrument made of metal, often in four parts - often associated with fanfares and pageants

Longitudinal flute

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The Flute - Similar to our modern flutes. This type of Musical instruments played by flute-minstrels of the Middle Ages

Percussion Musical Instruments in the Middle Ages
 

    There were many Percussion Musical Instruments played during the Middle Ages including the following :

  • The Drum - Drums were made initially from a hollow tree trunk, clay or metal and covered by skins of water animals - also called tambours

  • The Cymbal - Thin round concave metal plates

  • The Triangle - The triangle was a musical instrument introduced during the 14th century

  • The Tambourine - This Musical instrument was traditionally used by a woman

     

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