Folk String Instruments A folk instrument is a musical instrument that developed among common people and usually does not have a known inventor. A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. Banjo A stringed instrument in the guitar family with a long neck, five strings and a round body like a tambourine with an open back. A banjo's strings are strummed or plucked with the fingers. Fiddle The highest pitched member of the string instrument family. It has a shallow wooden body, four strings that are tuned with pegs, and it is played with a bow. Ukulele A small wooden instrument with four strings, similar to a guitar. The ukulele was brought to Hawaii by Portuguese settlers in the 1870’ s, and quickly became popular with native Hawaiians. Mandolin A small, stringed instrument of the lute family. It has a pear shaped body, strings in four pairs and a neck similar to a guitar. Guitar A stringed instrument with a long neck and a flat, hollow body. Its strings are plucked or strummed with the fingers. Appalachian Dulcimer A fretted string instrument, typically with three or four strings, originally played in the Appalachian region of the United States. The instrument is typically played on the lap. The left hand presses the frets (much like a guitar) and the right hand strums. Hammered Dulcimer An early stringed instrument whose strings are stretched across a wooden sound box and hit with small hammers. Kayagum Kayagum is a Korean national string instrument. The gayageum is traditionally played when sitting on the floor with crossed legs, the head of the instrument resting on the right knee and the tail resting on the floor. Sitar A stringed instrument from India. The sitar is a member of the lute family with a long neck and a pear shaped body. Most sitar’s have seven strings, five of them are usually used for melody, and the other two provide a continuous drone. Lute The lute looks like a small, pear- shaped guitar. It has a bent neck and a fretted fingerboard. It is played mainly by plucking the strings, rather than strumming them. .