<P> Alpine zithers are tuned in a similar manner to the concert zither , with the accompaniment and bass strings each providing a full set of 12 chromatic pitches also arranged in a cycle of fifths . Contrabass strings are arranged in a descending chromatic scale . Late 19th and early 20th century versions of the instrument were often called ' harp zithers ' -- so - named because the pillar extension seemed a miniature version of the harp 's pillar . The extra contrabass strings ran parallel to the other strings on these earlier instruments , the diagonal arrangement illustrated developed later to assist the right hand in reaching the strings . </P>
<P> Alpine zithers are tuned in a similar manner to the concert zither , with the accompaniment and bass strings each providing a full set of 12 chromatic pitches also arranged in a cycle of fifths . Contrabass strings are arranged in a descending chromatic scale . Late 19th and early 20th century versions of the instrument were often called ' harp zithers ' -- so - named because the pillar extension seemed a miniature version of the harp 's pillar . The extra contrabass strings ran parallel to the other strings on these earlier instruments , the diagonal arrangement illustrated developed later to assist the right hand in reaching the strings . </P>
ancient harp like musical instrument in the zither family
ancient harp like musical instrument in the zither family
Alpine zithers
Alpine zithers