Medieval Music Instruments Overview
There were many instruments during the Medieval era. Some Medieval musical instruments, such as the vielle and flute, inspired some of our modern-day instruments, helping give the era its unique sound.
What Instruments Were Used in the Middle Ages?
Flutes
Flutes were popular during this time but were very different than modern flutes. Medieval flutes were not made of metal and did not have the airtight padding which makes playing easier. Flutes during the Medieval era were made from carved wood and had simple holes which needed to be covered completely by the player’s fingers. The recorder was very similar to a flute, but played vertically instead of horizontally.
Dulcimer
Stringed instruments during the Middle Ages were larger than the ones we use today. One instrument is the dulcimer (dull-sim-er). The dulcimer is a large, board-like instrument covered in strings of different lengths that produce different tones. Originally, the instrument had to be plucked like a lute (the ancestor of the guitar), but once metal strings became cheaper and easier to make, they were hit with small hammers. The way the hammered dulcimer operates is like a piano. A piano has eighty-eight small hammers that pound on small metal strings to produce tones.
Vielle
The vielle is the grandfather of the violin. It was a large, handheld instrument that was played like a violin with a bow. The vielle could have different numbers of strings.
The different instruments used in the Middle Ages varied and had various uses. Even though some may look strange, there is no denying the connection between the instruments used then and those used now. Learning about where our music and tools came from helps us to appreciate modern instruments.
Harp
The Medieval harp was most popular in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Scandinavia. It had a three-sided frame consisting of the column, harmonic curve, and soundboard. Strings were usually made of gut or horsehair, but in Ireland, the strings were made from wire. The number of strings varied from six to thirty.
Drums
During the Medieval era, there were many different percussion instruments. Bells were used for teaching during the Medieval era. Other common Medieval instruments were the timbrel, which looks like a modern-day tambourine, and the nakers, a pair of small kettledrums. The Byzantine Empire used drums to march or row in cadence and to communicate over long distances during battle.
Psaltery
Psalteries are a Medieval instrument that took many different shapes during the Medieval era. Psalteries are played by laying the instrument on the player’s lap either horizontally or vertically. The psaltery was a precursor to the harpsichord. A keyboard was added to the psaltery during the late 1300s. It finally fell out of popularity during the Renaissance era, when chromatism became a prominent feature of the music.
Shawm
Another Medieval instrument is the shawm. The shawm was a very loud double-reed instrument. It was most used during dances and town ceremonies.
Bagpipe
Bagpipes appeared in Europe during the 12th century. Most of what we know about these early bagpipes is from paintings. Early Bagpipes had no drone, but later featured one drone. A drone is the part of the bagpipe that looks like a long pipe that produces a continuous, long note. Bagpipes are wind instruments. Medieval bagpipes had a large, round bag.
Critical Thinking Questions
- What instruments from the Medieval Era are ancestors of instruments we use today?
- What instrument family is the dulcimer?
- How are the sounds of these Medieval instruments different?