Friday, 17 June 2011

Exotic Instruments For Authenticity And Style

By Rosa Wade


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.

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 is full of examples of the oud. Practically every ancient Middle Eastern or Mediterranean civilization has used it as part of their musical traditions. The ancient oud has evolved into the modern one in use today. It has regional variations but some features are constant. It has eleven strings and a fretted neck. It also has a signature bowl shaped body style that allows for heightened resonance.

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 known by several names, one of them is the wheel fiddle. It creates a sound similar to that of a bagpipe. This sound is made when a cranked wheel rubs against its strings. This rubbing makes a constant, even pitched sound. This instrument's style varies by its region. There isn't a standardized design. The two main body styles are the bowl and the conventional guitar.

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




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment