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.
Pictorial representations of the oud have been found to be over 5000 years old. It is believed to have been invented by the grandson of Adam of the Bible. The oud is a stringed instrument used in Middle Eastern and North African, such as Egyptian, music.
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 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 three main parts. It is made up of the bowl, the neck and the sounding board. It also has seven strings. The sounding board is made of spruce. The bowl can be spruce, mulberry wood, beech or juniper. The neck is 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 is featured at many European folk festivals. It is centered primarily in Eastern Europe in countries such as Hungary, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine. Folk dances are often done to its music.
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
Pictorial representations of the oud have been found to be over 5000 years old. It is believed to have been invented by the grandson of Adam of the Bible. The oud is a stringed instrument used in Middle Eastern and North African, such as Egyptian, music.
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 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 three main parts. It is made up of the bowl, the neck and the sounding board. It also has seven strings. The sounding board is made of spruce. The bowl can be spruce, mulberry wood, beech or juniper. The neck is 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 is featured at many European folk festivals. It is centered primarily in Eastern Europe in countries such as Hungary, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine. Folk dances are often done to its music.
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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