The chitarra battente (Italian: lit. “beating guitar”) also known as “chitarra italiana” is a musical instrument, a chordophone of the lute family. At a casual glance, it is similar to the everyday classical guitar, but larger and typically strung with five double steel strings. Nowadays it is typical of folk music mainly in Calabria, Puglia, Basilicataand Campania, as well as in other areas of southern Italy; in previous centuries was common in most of central and southern Italy.

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Chitarra battente (De Bonis)

 

Francesco “Ciccio” Denaro, playing a Chitarra Battente with Sonaturi a Jurnata group

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaKkcyg2e3A%5D

 

Francesco Loccisano, chitarra battente demo 🙂

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1AWcuWNhNs%5D