Exotic instruments carry us away to another time and place. They add pizzazz to otherwise mundane musical arrangements. They can be used to create a unique and unusual sound not achievable with traditional instrumental collection. The oud, the saz and the hurdy gurdy are three examples.
The oud is stringed instrument most often used in North African and Middle Eastern music. It is said to have been invented by a grandson of the biblical Adam. Pictorial representations can be found dating back 5000 years.
The oud appears throughout Mesopotamian history. It has been a part of the musical tradition of virtually every ancient civilization in the Middle East and Mediterranean. The modern oud is somewhat different from its ancient orgins. It also varies region to region but it does have some defining features. It does not have a fretted neck. It has eleven strings. Perhaps most remarkable is its body. It has a bowl shaped back which allows for resonance.
The saz is also referred to as the baglama. Cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Central Asia and the Near East use it in their musical traditions. It is most often found in Turkey where it is the most common folk instrument.
The saz has seven strings and three main parts. These parts include the bowl, the sounding board and the neck. The bowl is typically made of spruce, mulberry wood or beech. The sounding board is spruce and the neck can be beech or juniper.
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.
European folk festivals often feature the hurdy gurdy. Its tradition in Eastern Europe is strong. Its centers of popularity can be found in Hungary, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland. The music is often accompanied by folk dances.
Exotic instruments expand our horizons both culturally and musically. We learn about history through them and apply it to create new styles and songs. These instruments help move the evolution of music along. Read more about: exotic instruments
The oud is stringed instrument most often used in North African and Middle Eastern music. It is said to have been invented by a grandson of the biblical Adam. Pictorial representations can be found dating back 5000 years.
The oud appears throughout Mesopotamian history. It has been a part of the musical tradition of virtually every ancient civilization in the Middle East and Mediterranean. The modern oud is somewhat different from its ancient orgins. It also varies region to region but it does have some defining features. It does not have a fretted neck. It has eleven strings. Perhaps most remarkable is its body. It has a bowl shaped back which allows for resonance.
The saz is also referred to as the baglama. Cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Central Asia and the Near East use it in their musical traditions. It is most often found in Turkey where it is the most common folk instrument.
The saz has seven strings and three main parts. These parts include the bowl, the sounding board and the neck. The bowl is typically made of spruce, mulberry wood or beech. The sounding board is spruce and the neck can be beech or juniper.
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.
European folk festivals often feature the hurdy gurdy. Its tradition in Eastern Europe is strong. Its centers of popularity can be found in Hungary, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland. The music is often accompanied by folk dances.
Exotic instruments expand our horizons both culturally and musically. We learn about history through them and apply it to create new styles and songs. These instruments help move the evolution of music along. Read more about: exotic instruments
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