Zither is a stringed musical instrument commonly found in Austria and southern Germany. It consists chiefly of a flat, wooden box with 30 or more strings stretched along its length. The zither is placed on a table when played. The five strings nearest the musician provide the melody. The other strings are used for accompaniment. The player strums the melody strings with a ring-shaped plectrum (pick) worn on the thumb of the right hand. The second, third, and fourth fingers on that hand pluck chords. The left hand presses the melody strings against a fingerboard with frets (ridges) to select the pitch.
