Crossword Genius

Instrument giving chord, flat essentially (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

viola

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'instrument' is the definition.
(viola is a kind of instrument)

'chord flat essentially' is the wordplay.
'chord' becomes 'viol' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'flat' becomes 'pad' (a person's home).
'essentially' means to look at the middle letters.
The middle letter of 'pad' is 'a'.
'viol'+'a'='VIOLA'

'giving' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for viola that I've seen before include "Twelfth Night heroine" , "Sebastian's twin (Twelfth Night)" , "Achievement" , "Instrument slightly larger than violin and of lower pitch" , "Stringed instrument tuned lower than a violin" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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