Turkish traditional musical instruments

Bağlama

The boat is carved from a log and is pear-shaped. It is played with a plectrum or fingers, depending on the technique used.

Click the link below to listen Neşat Ertaş a famous Turkish poet, singer and musician playing Baglama 

https://youtu.be/RRb-61WeoG8

                      Kanun

The  kanun is a string instrument played either solo, or more often as part of an ensemble, in much of the Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, Central Asia, Armenia, and Greece. The name derives ultimately from Ancient Greek meaning "rule, law, norm, principle". 

This instrument came inscribed on a box of elephant ivory found in the old Assyrian capital Nimrud. The instrument is a type of large zither with a thin trapezoidal soundboard that is famous for its unique melodramatic sound. 

https://youtu.be/VFFcAuIKCSo

                   UD / OUD

The oud is very similar to other types of lute, and to Western lutes. Similar instruments have been used in the Middle East, North Africa (particularly the Maghreb, Egypt and Somalia), and Central Asia for thousands of years, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Caucasus, the Levant, anatolian Greeks, Albania and Bulgaria; there may even be prehistoric antecedents of the lute.

The oud, as a fundamental difference with the western lute, has no frets and a smaller neck. It is the direct successor of the Persian Barbat lute. The oldest surviving oud is thought to be in Brussels, at the Museum of Musical Instruments.

Traditional Croatian Musical Intruments

Some traditional musical instruments show cultural specialties and they're famous only in Croatia.

We would like to introduce some of the most popular Croatian musical instruments.

Tamburica

Tamburica is a string instrument popular in all of the Balkans. Even though it's popular everywhere, it holds a special place in Croatia's heart. It is the Croatian national string instrument.

It was made in 1551. People took inspiration from the mandolin and guitar.

It has 4 strings.

Gajde

The other name for Gajde is Mih.

It is most often played in eastern Croatia, but you can find it's music everywhere.There are diffrent types of Mih such as the Istrian Mih.

It is the Croatian national woodwind instrument.

Mih is often made with dry goat skin. It doesn't sound like usual European bagpipes.

One of the most popular Croatian composers, Ivan Matetić Ronjgov, played the Istrian bagpipe, brining  the tradition back in the 20th century.

Diple flute

It's other name is Dvojnice. It is played in the Adriatic litteral. It has many different variations. The most popular one is the Istrian diple.

It can create two notes at the same time. One plays the usual octave, and the other one plays in an octave higher. 

It is seen as a very hard instrumen to play, with the sound often coming out as a weird noise. That is why musical proffesionals that play Dvojnice are often praised.