chordophone

Chordophone is a family of musical instruments in which sound is produced primarily by the vibration of strings. The strings are stretched between fixed points, and their vibrations are amplified by a resonator such as a soundbox or a body. The term comes from Greek khordē, string, and phōnē, sound. In the Hornbostel-Sachs system, chordophones constitute category 3 and include both simple chordophones with a single string and composite chordophones with a neck and a body.

Chordophones are diverse and widespread, including instruments such as guitar, lute, violin, viola, cello, erhu, pipa, koto, zither, and dulcimer. Sound is produced by exciting the strings through plucking, bowing, or striking. The pitch is determined mainly by string length, tension, and mass per unit length, while the instrument’s body or soundboard shapes timbre and volume. Simple chordophones may have a single vibrating string, while composite chordophones combine a neck, a resonator, and many strings.

Stringed instruments have a long history across cultures, from ancient harps and lyres to modern orchestral and folk instruments. Construction materials vary widely, with strings made of metal, nylon, or gut and bodies made of wood or other materials. The chordophone family continues to influence music globally, powering ensembles from solo lutes to large string sections and contemporary hybrids.