Lute

A lute is a stringed instrument that is played by way of plucking the strings. It consists of a body, a neck and a pegbox. The strings are attached to the bridge at the bottom of the body and tightened with tuning pegs that are held in the peg box. With these pegs, the strings can be tuned to the correct pitch. The pitch of each string can be manipulated by pressing it down on the fret board, which is part of the neck. The closer to the body the string is pressed down, the higher the pitch will get. Usually, the strings are paired, meaning that two strings are tuned to the same pitch. Only the lowest notes on the instruments have single strings.

Lutes can vary dramatically in size, number of strings and tuning system. This is mainly up to the players preference and skill, but it also depends on the luthier who makes the instruments. While there is no set number of strings or tuning system, there are certain conventions that most luthiers adhere to. Six pitches, meaning eleven or twelve individual strings, are the most common, four or five pitches are also often found. In cases where there is more pitches, most times more bass strings are added. These low strings are often not on the fretboard, so they are tuned to their pitch and only used to play that specific bass note.

Fairly recently, musicians have started to attempt to write down their music, which had previously been passed on through generations by way of show and tell. This has in turn seen lutes becoming more unified in number of strings and tuning system making it easier to follow the instructions on the written music. Now, if one can figure out how to read the written music, (this does not necessarily require knowing how to read words,) one can learn to play the lute without a teacher, though this is not very common.

Lutes and similar instruments are fairly common throughout Leanor, especially in the kingdoms. The instrument is commonly used to accompany songs. A simply made lute can be found in many families and is often passed down through generations. Wealthy families often own more intricately made lutes that can be decorated with carvings and inlays of wood, mother of pearl or precious metals.

In Leanor, bards and minstrels who roam the land playing the lute to their songs are no rarity. In fact, when stopping at an inn, especially in larger towns and cities, one is almost guaranteed to find a bard there.

It is common for parents to teach their children how to play the lute, so many people in Leanor know at least the basics. Among those priviledged enough to have free time, playing the lute is a common pastime.

An exception to this are sons of noble families, who are expected to fight and lead instead of making music. In their case, an interest in music and fine arts is often interpreted as a sign of weakness. This also goes for soldiers.

Despite this, some nobles still enjoy the art, but they mostly do so in private, especially if they care about their reputation and public image, which most of them do by necessity.