Stringed Folk Instruments

Autoharp, c.1900

By Hopl’s Jubclklange. Probably Austrian or German maker. Purchased in Belgium.

Baglamas, Greece & Turkey

This folk instrument is a bowl-lute, six strings, used in Turkish music. When used in Greek music, it is usually plucked. Strings are tuned in unison pairs on the four highest strings, an octave above the lowest “D-A-D”. The body is often hollowed out from a piece of Mulberry wood or made from a gourd. The frets are maple and the cover, spruce. Fretted fingerboard, with bow.

Balalaika, Russia

A Russian folk instrument found in numerous Eastern European countries. Hand painted by T. Stadnichenko in 1994; made in the Ukraine. Three strings, fretted fingerboard.

Çifteli, Albania

Çifteli (meaning “pair of strings”) is a string instrument with only two strings, played mainly by the Gheg people of northern and central Albania, Southern Montenegro, and Kosovo.

Domra, Ukraine

A Ukrainian folk music instrument. Four strings with a fretted fingerboard.

Dulcimer

Eastern Europe, Central Asia, India, Korea, China and the United States.

Four strings (one is double), fretted fingerboard.

Gijjak, Central Asia

Very close in structure to the Persian Kamancheh and instruments from Azerbaijan, Iran and Armenia. Four strings with bow.

Gusle, Montenegro/Croatia

Montenegro/Croatian National Instrument. One string with bow.

Gusle, Greece

One string, with bow. Stretched goat skin, carved goat head. Purchased in Athens, Greece.

Harp, Myanmar

Model of a harp of the ancient Burmese (Myanmar) navy. Full size harps of this type are frequently played in area hotels.

Karadeniz and Kemençesi, Turkey

Karadeniz: Bowed, three-string instrument. Typically, the instrument body is made from mulberry, plum and juiper woods.

Kemençesi: An instrument with standard pitches for the strings making it possible to easily play various types of chromatic sounds.

Kokles un Koklesana, Latvia

A Baltic Psaltery folk instrument with eleven strings. Reputed to be “the most legendary and highly praised of Latvian musical instruments,” as quoted from the manual. Playing manual included, compiled by Valdis Muktupavels.

Kobyz, Middle Asia

Purchased in Uzbekistan and found throughout Middle Asia. Associated with shamanic rites and supernatural powers. Climax of its development occurred in the 19^th – 20^th centuries.

Komuz, Central Asia

A fretless string instrument, it has three strings, traditionally made of gut, and a bowl shaped resonating sound chamber. Uzbekistan, used mainly in Kyrgyzstan.

Lute, Bhutan

Thimphu, Bhutan

Six strings, highly decorated.

Lyre, Greece

Instrument made on the island of Crete. Three strings tuned “La-Re-Sol”. Beautifully crafted with inlay decorations. Three strings, plucked.

Oudipedia, Middle East

Uzbekistan

This 13 string instrument is one of the most popular instruments in Middle Eastern music. Also found in Greece, Turkey, and Armenia.

The body is bowl shaped. It is usually the bass instrument when used in small ensembles.

Portuguese Guitar, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Hand crafted from Fabrico Artimusica, 12 strings.

Rebaba, Jordon

String Instrument with a long tubular neck that extends the length of the instrument, reputed to be the oldest of the bowed instruments. This instrument has one string. It is the most used instrument by the desert Bedouin nomads. Purchased from a Bedouin near the Jordan River.

Rubab, Uzbekistan

A short-necked lute whose body is carved out of a single piece of wood, with a membrane covering the hollow bowl of the soundchamber, upon which the bridge is positioned. It has three courses of strings (2-2-1). The instrument is made from the trunk of a mulberry tree.

It is widely used in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the Xinjiang Uyghur Region of northwest China.

Anonymous, Saw Duang, Thailand

A bowed string instrument used in Thai music. It has a higher pitch than a Saw U. It has a hardwood sound box covered on the playing end with python skin. It is held vertically and has two silk strings that are played with a bow. Like to Saw U, the bow is between the string so the player has to tilt the bow to switch strings.

Shehnal, India

A twelve string, bowed instrument frequently used for weddings in India.

Tzoures, Greece

A long-necked string instrument with three sets of strings (2 strings each). It has a fretted keyboard. The body is carved from a solid piece of wood. This folk instrument is tuned “D-A-D”. Purchased in Athens, Greece.

Ukulele, USA

Made by Ohana, this instrument has four strings and a fretted fingerboard. It has a mahogany top, back and sides. Used widely in the United States.