Music and people are inseparable. Music feeds people, people can be fed with music. Music is universal. We find ourselves in rhythms and melodies. The music played in ethnic music reflects the culture of that region. In addition, the songs played in ethnic music have existed in ancient times thanks to the instruments that the people of the region made with their own hands. Ethnic music has all kinds of instruments.
In ancient times, people started to make noises to spend time and have fun. Since the technology was not as developed as it is today, they started to make musical instruments from wood, animal skin, and cymbals in line with the possibilities of the time. Musical instruments did not have much sound and form in the early days. For example, they invented drums using the pounding sound. This drum is made of wood and animal skin.
People used a mallet or stick to play the drums. When we consider stringed instruments, they started to make vibrating sounds by touching the strings. Instruments produced in ancient times have quite a variety of forms today. When we classify these musical instruments, we come across percussion, wind, and stringed instruments. It is possible to see an instrument in different regions. For example, bouzouki is found in both Greek and Irish.
Advice: Ethnic Bouzouki
What is the Bouzouki?
The bouzouki is a long-neck plucked lute from Greece. Resembling a mandolin, the Bouzouki consists of a round wooden body with metal strings arranged in three or four pairs of rows on a burnished fingerboard. While the musician presses the strings on the keyboard with the fingers of his left hand, he breaks the strings over the soundhole with a plectrum he holds in his right hand, thus forming a melody. It does not have a very balanced sound as it is a mix of guitar and bass. Visuals are very significant in Bouzouki. The bouzouki is also decorated with different patterns of wood. These patterns are fascinating.
Tuning the Bouzouki: Step By Step Guide
The Bouzouki is one of the most valuable instruments of Greek music. The Bouzouki is in the string instrument group. The Bouzouki’s strings come from the strings, and the frets come from the guitar set. It has a sharp metallic sound, so it’s more like a mandolin. The Bouzouki is played with a plectrum or pick. It is pear-shaped, heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and Its length is almost 70 centimeters. It is close to the tuning of the bouzouki guitar. Because of its similarity to the guitar, it is also called Kitaro bouzouki. Bouzouki has a strong voice. Tuning Bouzouki should be done well so that the musical instrument can fully reveal its distinctive sound.
The most significant issue in Bouzouki is to obtain the sound unique to Bouzouki. When playing bouzouki, the grip of the pick and the position of the wrist is essential in producing the desired sound. In addition, the quality, brand, and frequent replacement of strings are among the significant factors affecting the bouzouki sound. The most significant thing to pay attention to in a bouzouki is the tuning. Because the sound is bad or good depends on the settings of the wires. You don’t have to worry when you notice that your instrument is out of tune.
There are several methods you can use to adjust the sound quality of your instrument. You can tune it by ear or with a digital tuner if you want. Tuning with a digital tuner will be easier for beginners. Tuning by ear can be difficult for beginners because you may not have a musical ear at first. A digital tuner will make your life simpler because you won’t have to rely on your ear for tuning. Tuners are attached to the head of the instrument and pick up the vibrating frequency of each string.
What is the Difference between the Greek Bouzouki and Irish Bouzouki?
Of course, each individual’s musical interests are different. At some times, it is easier to find ourselves with the timbre of music and instrument designs. When we consider bouzouki as an ethnic musical instrument, we can say the following:
Ethnic music belongs to a place, the instruments that enable the music to be played also belong to that region. The materials used in the making of these musical instruments also bear the traces of the culture they came from. For example, there is a difference between a Greek Bouzouki and an Irish Bouzouki both in sound and form. There may be some differences between the sizes from time to time.
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