Whoops sorry, it wasn't a psaltry, was it, just sounds like one.

Funny the amount of Folkies who think my wee fiddle is a psaltery, using the term, as you do, in as an abbreviation of bowed psaltery - an entirely unmusical, unworkable, entirely modern invention which has very little to do with the psaltery in its actual sense, for which see Here (though I'm sure there are better pages). That the entirely bogus bowed psaltery has achieved a certain notoriety amongst the Folky Faithful is interesting, and telling. It is a Modern Folk Instrument, invented as such, to which is often attached the provence implying it is somehow related to the psaltery of old. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, in lineage, it descends from certain novelty parlour instruments played in America in the 1920s, such as the Ukelin.

My wee fiddle is a Karadeniz Kemence, aka Black Sea Fiddle, from Turkey, which became one of my instruments of choice completely by accident. It is the ideal instrument for the accompaniment of Traditional English Song & Ballad as I feel the clip more than adequately demonstrates even though, like the arrangement of the song itself, the prelude, interludes and coda are entirely improvised.