Exotic String Instruments For Authentic And Creative Music
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by: Rosa Wade
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Word Count: 446
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 Time: 3:59 AM
Exotic string instruments are a part of many musical compositions. The world has provided a lot of intriguing music. Much of it comes from places that have these types of instruments as a part of their musical culture and history. Three examples include the balalaika, the baglama, the oud and the hurdy gurdy.
The balalaika is a stringed folk instrument that hails from Russia. It's body is triangular with a spruce or fir top. It typically has three strings. There are several types, or sizes of the balalaika. They include the contrabass, bass, alto, sekunda, prima and the rare piccolo. The prima is the most common. The balalaika was first mentioned in a seventeenth century Russian writing. It is also found in Ukranian documents in the following century. The balalika is used in the playing of folk music primarily in Russia and Ukraine.
The baglama is found in the folk music of Turkey. It is also represented in the music of the Near East, Central Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. The baglama is known by several names. What it is called is based on size and originating region. Some of the alternate names incle the saz, the divian sazi, the tambura and the cura. The cura is the smallest of the variations. The divian sazi is the largest of them.
The neck, the sounding board and the bowl are the three parts that make up the baglama. The fingers or a tezene are used to play it. A tezene is much like a pick used for a traditional guitar. Amplification and other sound manipulation are possible with the electric version of the baglama.
Drawings and other visual representations from 5000 years ago depict an instrument called an oud. The version from that long ago looks and sounds somewhat different from the modern one. However, its signature fretted neck, bowl shaped back and eleven strings are constants. The oud is most frequently used in the Middle east and North African countries such as Egypt.
The hurdy gurdy is used in European folk festivals. It is also known as the wheel fiddle because of the way it works. There is no standardized version of the hurdy gurdy as its look varies according to where it is being used. All have a typical drone like sound, much like a bag pipe, however.
Exotic string instruments provide a lot of diversity of sound. They add to the creative process for musicians as well as to the listener's pleasure. They make music more authentic and more exciting. Read more about: exotic string instruments
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