Lute

The lute produces sound when its strings are plucked and the vibration resonates in the body of the instrument. Notes are played by holding the fingers on the strings and moving from fret to fret and then plucking the instrument.

The balalaika is a flat-backed lute whose three strings make a sound familiar in traditional Russian music.

The biwa is a Japanese lute with four strings that was devised more than 1200 years ago.

The pipa (pictured) is a Chinese lute whose four strings are made of silk.