The lute is a plucked stringed instrument of the same classification as the guitar and the lyre. The lute is usually played solo but it is not uncommon to see small ensembles of lutenists play together. Since the lute is entirely wooden, there are really no parts of it that can be substituted while maintaining a similar sound.
The lute has a teardrop-shaped, hollow soundboard traditionally made from spruce wood. The neck is affixed to the top of the base, to which the strings are connected. Overall, they are relatively similar in construction to the guitar. While a lute is more complex to play than a guitar, they generally have the same learning time; that is to say, about 300 hours of practice. There is no special equipment needed to play the lute.
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Learn more about the history of this instrument
Lutes were commonly played in the Court of King Henry VIII. He was an enthusiastic musician, finding it important to integrate music heavily into English culture. Lute songs are usually light and mythical with poetic lyrics, and they are commonly used in madrigals, chansons, and consort songs. The lute is very similar to instruments like the guitar, the ukulele, and the mandolin.