laouto

…the guitar and the Greek laouto (a type of lute with moveable frets), for example—operate according to a combination of ear and rule of thumb when they insert or adjust frets (note-position markers—e.g., of gut or wire) in the fingerboard. Such instruments are fretted according to the “rule of the…

…another instrument (a guitar, or laouto) plays the chordal background and maintains the reiterated rhythmic pattern. Similar ensembles are found in the Americas and in Africa.