String instrument rosin than players of lower-pitched instruments, who tend to favor darker, softer rosin. The ravanahatha is one of the oldest string instruments. Ancestors of the modern bowed string instruments are the rebab of the Islamic Empires, the Persian kamanche and the Byzantine lira. Other bowed instruments are the rebec, hardingfele, nyckelharpa, kokyū, erhu, igil, sarangi and K'ni. The hurdy-gurdy is bowed by a wheel. Rarely, the guitar has been played with a bow (rather than plucked) for unique effects. The third common method of sound production in stringed instruments is to strike the string. The piano and hammered dulcimer use
Howard Skempton among which are some for instruments rarely used in the western tradition: the hurdy-gurdy ("Concerto for hurdy-gurdy and percussion" (1994)) and the accordion ("Concerto for oboe, accordion and strings" (1997)). Some of the later works explore non-standard instrumentation: "Alveston" (2007) is scored for four trumpets, "Horizons" (2001) is scored for oboe and harp, "Ballade" (1997) is a pieces for saxophone quartet and string orchestra. Howard Skempton Howard While Skempton (born 31 October 1947) is an English composer, pianist, and accordionist. Since the late 1960s, when he helped to organise the Scratch Orchestra, he has been associated with the English school