Articles
SETAR
Setar is a spiritual string instrument and a member of the lute family.
Many musicians visualize Setar as a whispering instrument, soft, heartfelt and tranquillizing.
- In the Persian language, “Se” means “three” and “Tar” means “string”, but it has four strings! In the past, it had 3 strings, but over 200 years ago, a Sufi maestro “Dervish Moshtaq Alishah Kermani – died in 1785” added the fourth string to the Setar, to make the sound smoother, while the name remained “Setar” as a spiritual-vintage instrument.
- Setar is played with the right index fingernail and like a guitar – as you have the maximum chance to touch the instrument with both hands and your body, you can express your emotions easier than many other instruments.
- Setar can be played as a solo instrument or accompanied by a vocalist or a band. It has a deep and spiritual sound and nowadays has received fantastic recognition as a beautiful part of fusion bands’ layout.
Setar components:
- Echo box: bowl-shaped echo box – usually made of Mulberry wood, but some professional Setars are made of Walnut, Rosewood or Maple wood.
The echo box is made using three techniques: one piece, fully hand carved from a block of wood or ribbed, usually 7-15 ribs bound together. The last technique is from gourd.
- Top body: is a flat surface, made of Mulberry wood and should have a specific texture and pattern to have the best sound effect, such as sound timber & echo.
- Neck or Fretboard: is about 25 inches or 63 cm in length and is always made of Walnut wood to support a better wear resistance.
- Frets: There are 25-28 frets and is usually made of sheep guts.
- Strings: 0.2mm Stainless steel (for string #1 and #3), 0.2mm bronze(for string #2) and 0.35mm bronze(for string #4) are the common strings to use. The recently added string ( added about 200 years ago) is the string #3. ( numbers are from right to left when you have the Setar in front of you)
- Pegs: There are four pegs at the top of the fretboard, where the peg holes are placed.
TAR
The Tar is a string musical instrument with 6 strings and belongs to the lute family. Different versions of Tar are played in different countries with many similarities.
Tar is designed to play solo or to accompany the vocalist or a band. Tar has great credit due to its capability of many Western techniques, while it has the delicacy of Eastern music.
In making Tar, many components are made of the natural elements and it makes a fabulous feeling when you have a chance to play it.
The most expensive Tars are made by the Maestro Yahya (Hovhannes Abkarian, 1875-1931) and for many museums worldwide, collecting one of them is an honour. They are unique in the pattern of the echo box and wood texture and they are still many researchers investigating his techniques. It is said that Yahya was very confident about his Tars’ quality and if one was made with non-adequate quality,, he put them in his chimney, not to hurt his fame and name.
Tar components:
Echo box: is always hand carved and has two symmetrical halves. The wood is usually Mulberry, which is known as a great tone-wood and is also carvable. Making the symmetric bowl with the right shape and preferred wood texture and pattern.
Top body: the whole top body is a one-piece sheepskin.
Bridge: The bridge on the skin is made of ram horn.
Neck or Fretboard: The fretboard is made of Walnut wood, while there is a longitudinal camel bone layout on both sides of the fretboard for decoration, as well as resisting wear. The contact between camel bone and strings makes a unique sound timber as well.
Strings: 0.2mm Stainless steel (for string #1, #2, #5), 0.2mm bronze(for string #3 and #4) and 0.35mm bronze(for string #6) are the common strings to use.
Pegs: Pegs are situated in the peg box with six holes. Making the great peg box is also a big challenge for Tar makers.
TANBOUR
Tanbour is a sacred lute family instrument with spiritual and mystic sound characteristics. Different versions of Tanbour are played in countries such as Iran, India, China, Turkey, Japan, Afghanistan, Greece, etc.
- Tanbour is one of the most ancient instruments which has deep and valuable roots in human history and culture and is considered a precious heritage in the Kurdish community as well.
- In the Kurdish community, “Yaresan”s play not for Tanbour, but they consider it as a spiritual requirement to deliver their verses and poems to the audience.
- Sufis play Tanbour to accompany their poems and verses – called Kalaam. Tanbour has some ancient melodies – called Moqam – which accompany those Kalaams(verses).
- Tanbour is played with all five right fingers’ strum and the gesture is in unique harmony with the music. Tanbour has fantastic visual beauties when being performed.
- The most known technique for playing Tanbour is called “Shor”, which is a continuous movement of fingers to play a tremolo.
Tanbour components:
- Echo box: is made with two techniques: one piece – hand carved and ribbed – usually 7-9 ribs. Tanbour echo bowl is usually made of Mulberry wood, while in professional Tanbours, Walnut and some rare-to-find woods are also used.
- Top body: the whole top body is always with Mulberry.
- Neck or Fretboard: The fretboard is made of Walnut wood, but other woods might be used as well. Tanbour has usually 14-15 frets.
- Strings: Tanbour has only 3 strings, 0.2mm Stainless steel (strings #1 and #2), 0.2mm bronze(string #3).
- Pegs: There are three pegs at the top of the fretboard, where the peg holes are placed.
SHURANGIZ SETAR (4-string)
Shurangiz Setar has the softness and the whispering quality of Setar, while it has some characteristics of Tar, like a stronger and more bass sound. The wood top body of the Setar is replaced with the skin body in the Shurangiz Setar. Many Setar players like the fact that they can experience a different tone while still having playability similar to Setar.
- History: The general concept of Shurangiz was initially been suggested by maestro Ali Tajvidi when maestro Ebrahim Ghanbari Mehr designed and made the first Shurangiz. It has been dormant and in silence for a while, when maestro Hosein Alizadeh had the second input to realize it with some ideas for improvement and with the artwork of maestro Majid Ayati.
Shurangiz Setar components:
- Echo box: bowl-shaped echo box of original Setar – usually made of Mulberry wood, but some professional Setars are made of Walnut, Rosewood or Maple wood.
The echo box is made with two techniques: one piece, fully hand carved from a block of wood or ribbed, usually 7-15 ribs bound together.
- Top body: The top body is partly made of thick skin, like goatskin to support the strings load, while making the proper resonance. The half of the top body remains the Mulberry wood, attached to the skin.
- Neck or Fretboard: is about 25 inches or 63 cm in length and is always made of Walnut wood to support a better wear resistance. There might be some decorative parts like bone or shell to make it more attractive aesthetically.
- Frets: There are 25-28 frets and is usually made of sheep guts.
- Strings: 0.2mm Stainless steel (for string #1 and #3), 0.2mm bronze(for string #2) and 0.35mm bronze(for string #4) are the common strings to use. Numbers are from right to left when you have the Shurangiz Setar in front of you.
- Pegs: There are four pegs at the top of the fretboard, where the peg holes are placed.
SHURANGIZ TANBOUR(6-string)
Shurangiz Tanbour is a combination of Setar, Tanbour and Tar and has some advantages of each instrument. While the fretboard is narrow enough to have a better maneuver in playing, it has a stronger and more bass sound. The Tanbour shape allows the musician to use some Tanbour techniques, such as Shor. Many Setar players like the fact that they can experience a different tone while it still has playability similar to Setar.
- History: The general concept of Shurangiz has initially been suggested by maestro Ali Tajvidi, when maestro Ebrahim Ghanbari Mehr designed and made the first Shurangiz. It has been dormant and in silence for a while, when maestro Hosein Alizadeh had the second input to realize it with some ideas for improvement and with the artwork of maestro Majid Ayati.
Shurangiz Setar components:
- Echo box: bowl-shape echo box of original Tanbour – usually made of Mulberry wood.
The echo box is made with two techniques: one piece, fully hand carved from a block of wood or ribbed, usually 7-11 ribs bound together.
- Top body: The top body is partly made of thick skin, like goatskin to support the strings load, while making the proper resonance. The half of the top body remains the Mulberry wood, attached to the skin.
- Neck or Fretboard: is about 25 inches or 63 cm in length and is always made of Walnut wood to support a better wear resistance. There might be some decorative parts like bone or shell to make it more attractive aesthetically.
- Frets: There are 21-24 frets and is usually made of sheep guts.
- Strings: 0.2mm Stainless steel (for string #1, #2 and #5), 0.2mm bronze(for string #3 and #4) and 0.35mm bronze(for string #6) are the common strings to use. Numbers are from right to left when you have the Shurangiz in front of you.
- Pegs: There are six pegs at the top of the fretboard, where the peg holes are placed in the peg box.
NEY
Ney is an end-blown flute and belongs to the woodwind instruments family. Ney is one of the most ancient instruments of human civilization and Egyptians have been using it for about 4500-5000 years. Ney is played worldwide on 5 continents and sounds to act as a bridge for various nations and generations.
Ney components:
- Body: The body is usually made of cane or giant reed. The quality of the cane has a big effect on the quality and lifetime of Ney.
- Holes: There are usually 5 finger holes and one thumb hole on the opposite side.
- Mouthpiece: is to protect the body from damage and be able to clean it more regularly. Also it gives a better edge for blowing on. The mouthpiece is always made of a thick layer of brass or plastic.
- Hassan Kassaei (1928-2012) is the most well-known contemporary Ney maestros.
- Ney needs regular maintenance, such as daily cleaning and regular oil treatment. It helps a longer lifetime and better sound quality.
HANDPAN
Handpan is a shell-like metal musical instrument which consists of two half shells, bound together and is considered as the category of Idiophones. The general idea of a Handpan is derived from a Caribbean steelpan.
Basically, Felix Rohner and Sabina Scharer in Bern-Switzerland made this shape of steelpan and called it Hang or Hang drum. So, Hang Drum is the brand name of PanArt from Switzerland, while Handpan is the general name of this instrument.
Handpan has a central note – which is called Ding (Which makes the lowest note), plus 8 notes around the central note. The bottom opening of the pan is called Gu.
Handpans are made of different metals, such as Steel and Stainless Steel, different heat treatments, such as nitriding and different patterns and shapes.
- Stainless steel handpans typically have a stronger structure, resulting in higher volume and a more sustained sound (4–6 seconds). This makes them an ideal instrument for meditative music, Zen sessions, and music therapy.
- Nitrided steel (hardened steel) handpans produce lower volume and less sustain (echo), making them a better choice for playing faster pieces.
- The most popular scale of Handpan is D minor, whereas the Ding is D3. It has an East-West mystic, meditative taste and can accompany main scales.
- Tuning: Tuning Handpans is not easy and only handpan makers can tune it. Therefore Extra care should be considered not to hurt it. This is another reason we always recommend Stainless Steel Handpans for higher durability.
- Maintenance: Handpans should not be kept in humid or hot temperatures in your vehicle or in their case. The best is to keep them in dry and balanced weather and clean it after every use. In fact, a risk factor is when your fingers’ sweat is transferred to the Henadpan which makes it vulnerable to rust. You can use special rust preventive oils to treat your Handpan.
DAF
Daf is a framed drum musical instrument widely used for folk and classical music in central and south Asia. Kurdish community uses Daf in their rituals and other ceremonies.
In the Pahlavi era, Daf was called Dap and it is believed that Daf or Dap was before the existence of Islam or Sufism.
- Based on historical evidence, Daf has been played to accompany other instruments within the Nowruz (The first day of the Persian New Year – March 21st) and other ceremonies in the Sassanid.
- The classical music of the Sassanid was developed by Barbod the Great to be played in the ceremonies and one of those modes was called Khosravani – just to follow the name of mythical king Khosrow. These modes have passed from maestros to students, from hearts to hearts and they finally formed the traditional Radif and Dastgah modal system in the Iranian classical music system.
- Daf has the capability to play so complex and intricate rhythms that can put the audience at a high level of trance, leading them to a spiritual state.
- One of the well-known beats for Daf is called “Se jar”, which is mainly a 10/8 beat.
Daf components:
- Daf frame(rim): With a diameter of 21″ or 52 cm. The rim is wood-shaped into round with hot water treatment or bending around a hot metal cylinder. The height of Daf is between 2-3 inches or 5-7 cm.
- Drumhead: is usually fish or goat skin and in humid climates yields its required tension and needs to be heated to remove humidity. In recent years synthetic skins by main drum manufacturers (like Remo) have been a great remedy for Daf players in humid weathers such as Europe or America.
- Jingles: made of small rings to attach to the rim.
KASHGAR RUBAB
The Kashgar Rubab is a traditional stringed instrument that has been played in Central Asia for centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the early Islamic period, and it is thought to have been brought to Central Asia by Arab musicians.
- The Rubab has a short neck and a round body, and it is played with a plectrum.
- The instrument has a warm and mellow tone that is perfect for accompanying vocalists or playing melodies.
The Uzbek kashgar Rubab is typically made from mulberry wood, which is prized for its durability, flexibility, and tonal qualities. Other woods that are sometimes used for the Rubab include walnut, apricot, and pear.
- The Uzbek kashgar Rubab is also closely associated with the Uyghur people of China’s Xinjiang region.
- The Uyghur Rubab (from China) is often made from local woods such as apricot, mulberry, and cedar.
TURKMEN DUTAR
The Turkmen dutar, this long-necked, two-stringed instrument is an important part of Turkmen culture. It is commonly played in both traditional and modern music, and it has a bright and lively sound that is perfect for solo performances but also singing.
- The dutar is played with the fingers, and it is known for its ability to produce intricate melodies and complex rhythms.
The Turkmen dutar is typically made from a combination of woods:
- The neck of the dutar is usually made from walnut or apricot wood.
- The body is made from mulberry wood.
- The soundboard is a piece of mulberry wood dried in the tamdyr (tandoor) oven.
- The strings themselves are usually made of steel.
TURKMEN GYJAK
The Turkmen Gyjak is an important instrument in Turkmen music. It is a three-stringed bowed instrument that is similar in many ways to the violin.
- The Gyjak has a round body, and it is played by drawing a bow across its strings. The instrument produces a rich and expressive sound that is often used to convey emotion in traditional Turkmen music.
The Turkmen gyjak is typically made from a combination of woods:
- The body of the instrument is usually made from apricot or mulberry wood, while
- The neck and scroll are made from walnut or cherry wood. The strings are made of steel.
KYRGYZ KOMUZ
The Kyrgyz Komuz is a three-stringed instrument that is an important part of Kyrgyz culture.
It is played by plucking the strings with the right hand while using the left hand to produce harmonics.
- The Komuz is known for its ability to produce a wide range of sounds, from delicate melodies to powerful rhythms.
- It is often played at weddings, funerals, and other important events, and it is a symbol of Kyrgyz identity and tradition.
- The Kyrgyz Komuz is typically made from apricot wood, which is known for its durability and tonal qualities.
- Other woods that are sometimes used for the Komuz include mulberry, walnut, and apple.
- The strings are usually made from nylon, silk or gut.
UZBEK DUTAR
The Uzbek dutar is a long-necked, two-stringed instrument that is similar to the dutar played in other Central Asian countries.
- It is commonly used in traditional Uzbek music, and it has a bright and lively sound that is perfect for accompanying vocalists or playing melodies.
- The dutar is played with the fingers, and it is known for its ability to produce intricate and complex rhythms.
- The Uzbek dutar is typically made from apricot or mulberry wood, with walnut or maple used for the neck and fretboard.
- The strings are usually made from nylon or gut.
- Like the kashgar Rubab, the Uzbek dutar is closely related to the Uyghur music tradition.
- In fact, the dutar is an important instrument in Uyghur music, where it is often played in ensembles with other stringed instruments such as the Rawap and the Satar.
- Despite some differences in playing techniques and musical styles, the Uzbek and Uyghur dutars share many similarities, reflecting the close cultural connections between these two neighboring regions.