Laúd
Laúd is a plectrum-plucked chordophone from Spain. It belongs to the cittern family of instruments. It has six double courses (i.e. twelve strings in pairs), similarly to the bandurria, but its neck is longer. Traditionally it is used folk string musical groups, together with the guitar and the bandurria.[1] Like the bandurria, it is tuned in fourths, but its range is 1 octave lower.
Laud's name derives from the Spanish word for lute.
Tuning:
- 1st: A
- 2nd: E
- 3rd: B
- 4th: F#
- 5th: C#
- 6th: G#
The Filipino version is tuned a step lower, F# B E A D G.
Cuban laúd
There is also a Cuban variety of laúd (such as played by Barbarito Torres of the Buena Vista Social Club). It has the same appearance and use as the Spanish version, only the tuning is different. The Cuban tuning is: D, A, E, B, F#, C# (or D).
Sometimes the Cuban variety has a different body shape, with two points instead of the lute-style or wavy shapes used for the traditional Spanish variety.