Exotic Instruments Add Spice To Musical Arrangements
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by: Rosa Wade
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Word Count: 426
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 Time: 3:26 AM
Exotic instruments add a flare and a flavor to many types of musical arrangements. They can make a piece more authentic to its time or place. They can be used to create a sound not achievable with a standard repertoire of instruments. Three examples include the oud, the saz and the hurdy gurdy.
The oud is typically found in Middle Eastern and North African music. It is a stringed instrument that is believed by some to have been invented by the Adam of the Bible's grandson. Pictorial evidence that is over 5000 years old have been found and are on display in museums throughout the world.
Mesopotamian history features many examples of the oud. Every ancient civilization in the Mediterranean and the Middle East have used to it create music and traditions. The ancient example has evolved into what is known as the modern oud. There is some regional variation but some features are the same region to region. The oud does not have a fretted neck as many stringed instruments do. It has a bowl shaped body that allows for excellent resonance and eleven strings.
The saz is found in Near Eastern, Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asian cultures. It is also known as the baglama. Turkish music is famous for this instrument. It is Turkey's most common folk instrument and is still used frequently in Turkey and beyond.
The saz is a seven stringed instrument with three main parts. These are the bowl, the neck and the sounding board. The parts may be made of spruce, mulberry wood, juniper or beech.
The hurdy gurdy is sometimes referred to as the wheel fiddle. That name comes from the way the sound is produced. A crank turns a wheel which rubs against strings. The sound produced is like that of a bagpipe's constant drone. The hurdy gurdy is very regionalized in terms of design. There is no standardization of design beyond two broad body stylings. Those are the bowl shape and the standard guitar shape.
The hurdy gurdy has a strong tradition in Eastern Europe, primarily Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Belarus. Folk Festivals often feature it along with folk dancing.
Exotic instruments help to expand musical and cultural horizons. They offer a way to learn about musical history and apply it to create exciting modern pieces. All types of music have been and will continue to be influenced by these exotic pieces. Read more about: exotic instruments
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