Exotic instruments add some spice and flare to musical arrangements of many types and styles. Their incorporation can add authenticity to a piece. They help to create the vibe of a faraway time and place. They can create a sound different than any that can be made by a standard collection of instruments. Three such instruments are the oud, the saz and the hurdy gurdy.
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 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 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 also known as the wheel fiddle. Its sound comes from a wheel which is turned be a crank to rub against strings. The sound is similar to a bagpipe due to drone strings. These provide that type of constant pitch. This is an instrument that has become highly regionalized and no truly standardized design. There two primary body stylings. One is shaped like a bowl and one looks more like a conventional guitar.
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
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 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 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 also known as the wheel fiddle. Its sound comes from a wheel which is turned be a crank to rub against strings. The sound is similar to a bagpipe due to drone strings. These provide that type of constant pitch. This is an instrument that has become highly regionalized and no truly standardized design. There two primary body stylings. One is shaped like a bowl and one looks more like a conventional guitar.
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