Lutes abandoned plectrums and developed polyphony by playing with fingers and increased the number of strings, but Japanese biwa made its plectrum bigger and tried to express all tones in one tone and also give a percussion-like effect.
いっぽうリュートが撥を捨て、指頭で弾くことから多音性を発達させ、弦数も増えていったのに比べ、日本の琵琶は逆に撥を大型化して一音にすべてを込め、また打楽器的効果を持たせた。