Tautirut: North American Zither

While on a plane to Seattle and watching the NFL Draft, I came across the first round draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings (you may probably already know where this is going). It got me thinking that wouldn’t it be nice to take a look at a place where people normally associate Vikings with. That is where I was brought to the idea of Greenland and northern Canada. Last stop we ended up in the hot climate of Western Africa, so this time it is only fit to travel to a place that is slightly chillier. What we’ll take a look at today is the tautirut or known as the Eskimo fiddle. We have, through our many excursions taken a look at many types of “zithers” such as the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese variations.

Tautirut

The main difference with the tautirut and the other zithers is the relatively simplistic nature of the instrument. According to Canadian anthropologist Ernest William Hawkes, the tautirut “consists of a rude box, with a square hole in the top, three sinew strings with a bridge and tail-piece and a short bow with a whalebone strip for hair..and have only one string.”  If you haven’t noted from that lengthy description, the instrument tends to use more animal features in the making of the instrument.

The instrument has been compared to instruments such as the Icelandic fidla and the Shetland gue. There are a number of reasons that could be said about these comparisons.  I personally believe one of the main reasons for this is due to the migration of individ

Icelandic Fidla

uals to Northernmost parts of North America. Those migrants could have brought their traditions to the new areas that they have chosen to inhabit. Another explanation was written by Peter Cooke in his book, “The Fiddle Tradition of the Shetland Isles”, where he said that it was a likely possibility that the tautirut was first introduced to the Inuit tribe by sailors from the Orkney and Shetland Islands.

Shetland Gue

The sound ability of the tautirut is miniscule as compared to other zither-type instruments such as the Chinese Zither. With only one string the instrument produces a mellow and calm sound synonymous with the terrain and climate of the region. The limited reach the instrument has had in the region has hurt the instrument’s growth and adaptations into modern times, but through the many educational and outreach programs that have been created throughout the region there is no doubt that their will be a wider audience in the future.

We’ve made it! Starting from the United States we went through the Pacific, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and lastly the northernmost part of North America.

I do hope all of you have found this musical instrument adventure to be memorable., because I sure have! All the pictures and videos that I was able to find throughout this journey truly was able to demonstrate and illustrate the many different types of instruments that were around the globe. It was also great to see that though some cultures were far apart from each other, they shared some similarities with each other. 

The Kora: Western Africa's Stringed Jewel

Welcome back to another week of musical exploration! After getting to learn a little bit about the cultural and musical phenomenon in Iran, we continue our journey to the southwest, to Africa. The beautiful instrument that we are looking at today is called the kora. The kora is similar to a harp and has around twenty-one strings. It has been unclear as to where exactly this instrument originated from, but it is said to have originated around the 16^th century. The kora is most well-known to be played by the Mandinka in Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Gambia. Traditional players call the kora a jail, as seen from the areas French colonization.

What does the kora look like? When we picture a harp we normally picture Cupid or some type of goddess that tries to lure what they call the love of their life. The kora on the other hand looks more like a fusion of a chello and the harp. As you can see in the lovely picture, the kora has a pretty large base. This base is made out of a large calabash that is cut in half and normally covered in cow skin, forming the gourd resonator. Attached to this is a long hardwood neck that passes through the calabash gourd resonator. There are two planes that separate the twenty-one strings in a traditional kora, 11 strings on one and 10 strings on the other, running in notches at the sides of the vertically mounted bridge.

How is it played? The playing style of the kora is rather similar to the harp. The musician only needs to use the thumb and index finger of both of their hands to pluck the strings in what is known as polyrhythmic patterns. The other remaining fingers and the palm is used to keep the instrument in place.



Gravi-Kord

Modern uses or adaptations of the kora? With electronic music gaining ground within the past few years, it was only a matter of time that traditional instruments like the kora would have a electronic variation to it. The electronic version of this instrument was developed in the late twentieth century by a man named Robert Grawl. The difference that this instrument has with the traditional kora aside from the sound that is makes is the number of strings that it has. With 24 strings as opposed to the original 21, this “gravikord” that it is named is able to produce higher octave sounds than the traditional kora. Another variation of this Instrument is the Gravi-kora which could be deemed the successor to the gravikord. With 21 strings it is able to give traditional kora musicians an instrument that is made out of much more durable material while offering them a wider range of sounds.

Though I have never actually seen one of these in person, just taking a look at the available YouTube videos gets you hooked. If you ever venture into the areas of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Gambia be sure to check the kora out! You definitely won’t regret it.

 

 

Trifecta

Hello, World !

When we listen to music, either while we are walking to class or jamming to it in the car, we normally hear the sounds of a drum, a guitar, or a combination of them. These sounds and the instruments that produce them are what characterizes the modern era, the time we live in. But have you ever thought about the endless variety of instruments that have graced the ears of many before us in many parts of the world? Most likely not. This topic may seem to be all about history, but what I will do differently is to approach it similar to a travel blog. Each particular country or region has a unique traditional instrument that is worthy of introduction and I plan to touch upon as many as I can for this semester. Hopefully, at the end of these fifteen weeks all of you will be so curious about these areas of the world that you’ll take a trip to see for yourselves!

For me, this curiosity stemmed from just a casual vacation back to Asia with my family. I honestly just expected to eat, sleep, and shop just like my previous trips back, but I ended up discovering something completely out of left field. Believe it or not, it was the Chinese Bamboo Flute with its distinct look, composition, and sound. It got me thinking, maybe there are many more of these knick-knacks hidden all over the world.

To my amusement, there are hundreds maybe thousands of these traditional instruments lying around in museums or still in use today! This led me to what I call an instrument hunter, basically a treasure hunter that looks for instruments. Though it doesn’t have all of the action and drama associated with Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage, National Treasure), it’s still very rewarding finding out about something new. The fact that people could turn bamboo, dried fruit, etc. into musical instruments was a truly astonishing experience.

Aside from the curiosity I had when I first observed the Chinese Bamboo Flute, I myself have also had a more personal attachment. I have been learning various Chinese instruments for about 13 years now. Every time I learn a new technique on the Bamboo Flute, Xiao, or the Pan Flute I become amazed of the wide-reaching abilities each of them have. That has also inspired me to look beyond my knowledge of Chinese instruments and dive into musical instruments around the world.

I hope to show all of you the endless possibilities the world before us came up with to satisfy all of their musical needs!! Though the instruments I will be introducing over the course of the semester are considered to be ‘ancient’, I will also talk about how each of these instruments have influenced the musical scene of today. It’ll be pretty interesting to know that maybe even the movies you are watching or the music you’re listening to have been include some of the instruments I will mention!

First stop will be here at home in North America, then to the mysteriousness of East Asia, the outback in Australia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Western Europe, Africa, and lastly South America before returning back to Los Angeles; all in about 100 days!
That is all for now, come join me on my musical adventures!

Ionarts Profile

Hello again! While scavenging for much more info of music to share with you guys I came across a blog (http://ionarts.blogspot.com) that may be interesting for all of you interested in Classical Music. Written by Jens Laurson and Michael Lodico the blog puts out news regarding the Classical Music industry as well as reviews of the big concerts in town. So if you’re in the DC area, definitely check these guys out for ideas of the best classical music concerts in town.

A little taste of what you guys can expect from the many reviews that it offers:

The performance on Thursday, March 7th, answered such speculation in the negative. The production—fresh and engaging—can still be as powerful as it was fifteen, thirteen years ago. Another aspect has come full circle: Waltraud Meier struggled at the beginning of her shift into Isolde-territory with the heights, and she does so again. On CD, hers would have been a weak performance, in and out of audibility when Kent Nagano allowed the Bavarian State Orchestra to cover her with an orchestral performance that was level-headed but less transparent than Nagano’s Wagner can be. But on stage, it was (still) marvelous. It is a role she created and she invests all her very considerable dramatic ability into it. Rarely are the subtlety, the wit, the sarcasm, the irony, the insinuations of the text so evident as in the first act of this production—ocean liner and all. In it, Meier gets to bristle, coo, appeal, and revile. She proved to be particularly biting, fierce, vulnerable and sweet this night, ever depending on what the situation demanded.

 -Review of Tristan and Isolde

 

 

 

 

In addition to offering reviews of the concerts currently in town, the blog posts a “regular Sunday selection of links to online audio, online video, and other good things in Blogville and Beyond.” For me, I found this particularly engaging in giving me all of the best in Classical Music. It has clearly become my one stop shop for everything musical.

Anyway, about the creators of this blog. Jens Laurson, born in Munich, quickly fell in love with music. Some of his family members thought he would be a prodigy of some sort but managed to only be proficient at best at the recorder and piano. Though he didn’t achieve the greatness his family hoped for him to attain he still became involved with all aspects of music, most notably as a reviewer of concerts and classical CDs.

Michael Lodico, on the other hand, took a completely different approach to music than Laurson did. He studied the piano and organ throughout his life ultimately becoming Directors of Music at several music schools. Clearly, both individuals have gotten to where they are completely different from each other but they both shared the same passion we have for music.

Next time you become frustrated searching the web for new concerts or recommendations for all things Classical Music definitely check out IONARTS with its clever motto “something other than politics in Washington, D.C. As for me, the next time I’m in D.C. I’ll make sure I make it to one of the concerts Jens and Michael have so strongly recommended.

Voice in Words

One thing that I’ve been trying to convey throughout my blog has been to present a subject most people would consider to be dry, into a more engaging and adventurous topic. To accomplish this I have looked to outside sources to find the right voice and way to approach my musical instrument travel blog. I have modeled most of my posts after the show “Bizarre Foods” combining the voice of Andrew Zimmern with my own. In the blog world, I found it difficult at first to find a blogger that presented the topic of musical instruments in an interesting manner but eventually found one that contained a unique voice.

At first when you glance over the blog’s title ("Great Musical Instruments"), you would not think the blog offers anything than pure information. But like most things in life we cannot judge a book by its cover. The blogger, Connie, adds a slight twist to the way she presents the information in the blog. For instance, as seen below, she uses plenty of imagery to convey her point. Most importantly, Connie allows the reader to imagine and get a sense of what she is talking about, such as through her suggestion of “imaging watching a movie like Star Wars without a sound track.” Readers at this point would understand her point that without music, life as we know it would be completely different. Here is an excerpt I believe shows Connie’s voice in her posts:

Music is woven into the tapestry of life, and has been for so long, we sometimes take it for granted. Imagine watching a movie like Star Wars without a sound track.  Music adds another dimension to the mood of a film, places the story in a time frame, and increases our responses to the action on the screen.  We are transported into the past and the future by well-crafted musical scores. The role of brass instruments in movie themes is apparent to anyone who has seen epic movies like Spartacus, Exodus, and Raiders of the Lost Ark ;  just a few in a long list of adventure stories whose action and suspense have made a powerful impact upon motion picture audiences.  A half century ago, everyone recognized the brassy themes of Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny cartoons, played by big bands from the 1950′s

Another blog that I stumbled upon is by Alexander Zakharov and is titled “Unusual Instruments.” What makes this blog different from Connie’s blog is its voice. Alex’s voice in his posts tend to be rather informative and direct while Connie is able to connect more with the reader. What Alex does to grab readers’ attention is through the use of visual aids. The first thing a reader is able to see is the vast range of colors that are emitted from a performance utilizing the laser harp. Looking at the ornate structure of the laser harp, a reader becomes curious and wants to know more about the instrument. The “visual” voice Alex incorporates is strong because it grabs readers to the posted information. The following is an excerpt from Alex’s blog:

A laser harp is an electronic musical instrument consisting of several laser beams to be blocked, in analogy with the plucking of the strings of a harp, in order to produce sounds. It is famously used by Jean Michel Jarre in his concerts.
The term "laser harp" and the first working laser harp were invented and made by Geoffrey Rose in 1976.The first model was constructed with a matrix of 5 X 5 laser beams in an octagonal frame. It has subsequently been used in a number of different designs, including a MIDI version invented by Philippe Guerre, and a recent one created by Yan Terrien. They have also been used in public art installations such as those created by Jen Lewin on display at Lincoln Center in 2000 and Burning Man 2005. A laser harp is generally built using a single laser, splitting its beam into an array of beams in parallel or fan arrangement. When a beam is blocked, this is detected by a photodiode or photoresistor, which is connected to electronics activating the relevant note. Playing the actual sound is usually handled by connecting the laser harp to a synthesizer, sampler or computer.”

After analyzing these two bloggers, I believe that my voice is much more aligned with Connie’s. It is difficult to make such a dry subject like musical instruments into something that is appealing to readers. Through the use of personifications, imageries, similes, and metaphors we as bloggers are able to connect with others.  

Voice Post

One thing that I’ve been trying to convey throughout my blog has been to present a subject most people would consider to be dry, into a more engaging and adventurous topic. To accomplish this I have looked to outside sources to find the right voice and way to approach my musical instrument travel blog. I have modelled most of my posts after the show “Bizarre Foods” combining the voice of Andrew Zimmern with my own. In the blog world, I found it difficult at first to find a blogger that presented the topic of musical instruments in an interesting manner but eventually found one that contained a unique voice.

The blog’s title instantly grabs your attention as being some rebellious, out-of-the-blue take on musical instruments. With a title like “Fuck Yeah Musical Instruments” what can you expect? The blogger, Beth, uses photos primarily to convey her topic across. However, it could be seen the type of voice she presents when she writes.

“Thank you all for following my instrument porn blog, as sparsely as it updates. I love you alllllll. SO as any good blog would do when they hit a milestone like this, it is time to embarrass myself greatly

To show my appreciation for all 1002 of you, I will make a ridiculous video for you. I post a lot of instruments but can I play them all?

Well, that’s for you to decide. Reply to this post with an instrument you’d like to see me play and I’ll do my best to get my hands on one and play it. Results will probably be hilarious, because I am still learning a lot of them and you can laugh at me being like “HOW THE FUCK DO YOU FINGER A G I DON’T GET IT” and yeah. I’ll suffer for your lols.”

It could be seen that Beth uses a casual tone when she addresses her audience. The use of the extra l’s when she says “allll” demonstrates the tone of voice that is used. As the title of her blog and the content of her posts show, she is okay with using “F**k” in order to convey a sense of excitement as well as disdain toward a certain topic. Although in her blog she does not go into detail about the instruments she is presenting using words, the photos themselves speak for her.

Another blog that I stumbled upon is by Alexander Zakharov and is titled “Unusual Instruments.” It may not have as intriguing as a title as Beth’s blog but it contains more information for the reader’s.

A laser harp is an electronic musical instrument consisting of several laser beams to be blocked, in analogy with the plucking of the strings of a harp, in order to produce sounds. It is famously used by Jean Michel Jarre in his concerts.

The term "laser harp" and the first working laser harp were invented and made by Geoffrey Rose in 1976.The first model was constructed with a matrix of 5 X 5 laser beams in an octagonal frame. It has subsequently been used in a number of different designs, including a MIDI version invented by Philippe Guerre, and a recent one created by Yan Terrien. They have also been used in public art installations such as those created by Jen Lewin on display at Lincoln Center in 2000 and Burning Man 2005.

A laser harp is generally built using a single laser, splitting its beam into an array of beams in parallel or fan arrangement. When a beam is blocked, this is detected by a photodiode or photoresistor, which is connected to electronics activating the relevant note. Playing the actual sound is usually handled by connecting the laser harp to a synthesizer, sampler or computer.”

The tone in Alexander’s posts are generally more formal than Beth’s. Both of the writers’ emotions are always shown in their respective blog posts, even though it may be presented in a completely different manner. They both present sufficient visual evidence in getting the reader’s involved in the topic, instead of just providing “raw” information.

The Tar

Welcome back everyone to another week of musical exploration! Last time we took a look at one of my personal favorites the HuLuShi, originally from the outskirts of China.

 This week I figured it would be a good idea to make our way into the Persian Gulf, a cultural hotspot. It is home to UNESCO Heritage Sites such as the Persepolis and the Chogha Zanbil, just to name a few. The instrument that we will spend our time getting to know is called the Tar. Tar in the Persian language means string. For those who have never seen one of these before, it looks like a guitar. The Tar (or Lute) has been said to have evolved from various different forms with the current edition having been introduced in the 18^th century.

The instrument is primarily played in Iran, the Caucasian countries (will explain later) and central Asia. The Caucasian countries include the likes of Azerbaijian, Armenia, Georgia, etc. In Iran, the Tar is considered to be the “sultan of instruments” which explains its popularity throughout the country.

What is it made of? The Persian tar is carved from mulberry wood and has a curved figure similar to two bowls attached to each other, with lamb-skin covering the top. The Tar consists of two parts for its sound box, the smaller called the Naghaareh and the large part called the Kaasseh. The fingerboard of the Tar has twenty-five to twenty-eight adjustable gut frets as well as three double courses of strings. A gut fret is a raised element on the heck of the instrument and extends across the full width of the neck.

What does is contain? The main part of the instrument that differs from the guitar is its neck. Instead of the short and narrow neck we are accustomed to seeing, the Tar has a considerably long and narrow neck. There are three courses of double strings (known as singing strings) where each course is tuned in unison. An interesting part to know is that not all three courses are made from the same materials. In fact, two courses are made out of plain steel and the third out of wound copper. In addition, there are also two pairs of shorter sympathetic strings that run under the bass and over two small copper bridges about midway on the upper side of the fingerboard. Each variable is tuned to the performer’s specifications. Similar to the guitar, the strings each have its own tuning peg and could be tuned independently for each respective song. The Persian tar used to have five strings. The sixth string was added to the tar by Darvish Khan. This string is today's fifth string of the Iranian tar.

Music Therapy? With the wide reaching sounds the instrument is able to achieve, the Tar has been considered to have contributed greatly to musical therapy. The musical melodies that are performed by the Tar have been known to cure headaches, insomnia, and depression paving the way for a full relaxation.

Whew! That was a tiring expedition we had there in getting to know the Tar. Until next time !

Ionarts: The Best in All Things Classical

Hello again! While scavenging for much more info of music to share with you guys I came across a blog (http://ionarts.blogspot.com) that may be interesting for all of you interested in Classical Music. Written by Jens Laurson and Michael Lodico the blog puts out news regarding the Classical Music industry as well as reviews of the big concerts in town. So if you’re in the DC area, definitely check these guys out for ideas of the best classical music concerts in town.

A little taste of what you guys can expect from the many reviews that it offers:

The performance on Thursday, March 7th, answered such speculation in the negative. The production—fresh and engaging—can still be as powerful as it was fifteen, thirteen years ago. Another aspect has come full circle: Waltraud Meier struggled at the beginning of her shift into Isolde-territory with the heights, and she does so again. On CD, hers would have been a weak performance, in and out of audibility when Kent Nagano allowed the Bavarian State Orchestra to cover her with an orchestral performance that was level-headed but less transparent than Nagano’s Wagner can be. But on stage, it was (still) marvelous. It is a role she created and she invests all her very considerable dramatic ability into it. Rarely are the subtlety, the wit, the sarcasm, the irony, the insinuations of the text so evident as in the first act of this production—ocean liner and all. In it, Meier gets to bristle, coo, appeal, and revile. She proved to be particularly biting, fierce, vulnerable and sweet this night, ever depending on what the situation demanded.

                                                                                -Review of Tristan and Isolde

In addition to offering reviews of the concerts currently in town, the blog posts a “regular Sunday selection of links to online audio, online video, and other good things in Blogville and Beyond.” For me, I found this particularly engaging in giving me all of the best in Classical Music. It has clearly become my one stop shop for everything musical.

Anywho, about the creators of this blog. Jens Laurson, born in Munich, quickly fell in love with music. Some of his family members thought he would be a prodigy of some sort but managed to only be proficient at best at the recorder and piano. Though he didn’t achieve the greatness his family hoped for him to attain he still became involved with all aspects of music, most notably as a reviewer of concerts and classical CDs. Michael Lodico, on the other hand, took a completely different approach to music than Laurson did. He studied the piano and organ throughout his life ultimately becoming Directors of Music at several music schools. Clearly, both individuals have gotten to where they are completely different from each other but they both shared the same passion we have for music.

Next time you become frustrated searching the web for new concerts or recommendations for all things Classical Music definitely check out IONARTS with its clever motto “something other than politics in Washington, D.C. As for me, the next time I’m in D.C. I’ll make sure I make it to one of the concerts Jens and Michael have so strongly recommended.

Social Bookmarking Soulmate

While browsing the world wide web for many more unique traditional musical instruments around the world, I came across a blog that talked about 10 highly unusual instruments from around the world. Among these instruments are those that one normally can’t buy in stores. Why is that? Most of these instruments were made from the performers themselves. 

http://blog.ted.com/2013/01/03/10-talks-that-involve-highly-unusual-instruments/

The topics that TED blogger Liz Jacobs bookmarked are instruments, music, playlists, TEDTalks, and culture. Although this is part of the TED Talk blogosphere it contains a lot of useful information in getting to know the creators of these modern, new instruments. For each of the ten instruments that are presented here in the blog by Jacobs there is a bookmark, leaving the total amount of bookmarks by Jacobs to roughly ten. Blogger Jacobs does not seem to bookmark frequently since her blog posts are not set in a continuous nature. The tags, carefully labeled to be instruments, music, playlists, and culture encompasses all of the interests that I have regarding the many different musical instruments aroud the world and how culture is influenced by music. 

One interesting link that I came across via Jacobs’ blog is about the TEDTalk presentation by Caroline Phillips. She talks about the Hurdy gurdy, a stringed musical instrument that uses a crank-turned wheel to produce sound. The instrument, upon first look, looks like a standard violin with numerous attachments on the top, such as a keyboard, strings, and the wheel. By having multiple drone strings the sound becomes similar to the bagpipes. The instrument is primarily used in French, Hungarian, and Galician folk music.

Another link that Liz Jacobs shared that I thought was worth noting is another TEDTalk, this time by Eric Whitacre. What makes this Talk stand out as opposed to the other ones is Whitacre’s ability to use technology to produce a song using 2,000 separate voices. People from all over the world collaborated to make this stunning musical production by recording their own vocal parts and posting them online for Whitacre to put together. This method that he used could in fact revolutionize the way musical productions are made using a mix of traditional and modern technological techniques. 

These sources that are linked from Jacobs’ blog will help my blog readers gain valuable information based on traditional and innovative musical offerings. These links show the innovative side of our society in how traditional instruments could be modified to produce something that has the ability to completely revolutionize the musical industry.

HuLuShi: Calabash Flute

Unlike other weeks, we will be staying put in China to look at my favorite Chinese instrument, the HuLuShi. The name of hulusi comes from Mandarin Chinese where "hulu" means gourd from the calabash fruit. It is also called "Bottle Gourd Silk "because of its soft and graceful sound as shaking silk. The Hulu has many different types of meanings such as good fortune, blessing, longevity and prosperity. It is also said to have the ability to improve one’s health and wealth. Since it is hard to find a similar magic instrument which can really produce “sounds of nature”, the Dai tribe men often used it as an instrument to express their love to women.

As accustomed to many of the instruments that we've gone through so far, there's a backstory to all of this. It all started when a beautiful young girl’s life was threatened by a surging flood. A young man, her "lover", saved her by holding a big bottle gourd and rushed through the waves. His stromg love and compassion to the girl touched the Buddha, who inserted bamboo pipes into a gourd and gave it to the brave man. Holding up the gold bottle gourd, the man played heartfelt music.  All of a sudden, the flood retreated and the area flourished with flowers and wildlife. From that point on, lovers flourished in the areas wherever the HuLuShi has been played.

The instrument is primarily made out of bamboo and the dried version of a calabash or often called a bottom gourd. Three bamboo sticks are attached to the gourd where two serve as drone pipes. One purpose of the bottom gourd is to be a piece of artwork that tells a story of the individuals personal life.

The sound of the HuLuShi is definitely a unique one. The drone pipes make the instrument have a sound complemented with the Chinese Clarinet known as the xiao. It can be compared to the bagpipes played in Ireland and Scotland because of the unique nature of the drone pipes. The sounds that are produced from this instrument could be said to sound like birds singing. Most of the time, if not always, the HuLuShi music represents cheer and celebration. The other instruments such as the Chinese Bamboo Flute, the zither, and the xiao are instruments that have a greater emotional and tone range as opposed to the HuLuShi. 

Below is a video that I’ve found that basically sums up the cheerful sound that the HuLuShi makes.

Personally, as a player and performer of the HuLuShi for about 6 years, I’ve always liked this instrument for its sound. It always brought my spirit up when I heard its bright and cheerful sound. When I first started playing the instrument I found it to be rather difficult. I was always accustomed to playing the Bamboo Flute where the mouth was made to a specific shape that made the sounds. Adjusting my playing structure and breathing took a while to get used to, but I would still definitely choose this instrument out of the many that I have played over the years. 

Chinese Bamboo Flute

Welcome back to another week of the musical excursion!

Today we’ll venture north to China where we’ll take a look at one of the most common instrument, the Chinese Bamboo Flute.

The flute is believed to have originated from the Western regions of modern China over 2,000 years ago. The flutes were not only made out of bamboo but was also made out of the wing bones of the red crowned crane. The shortest variation of this flute is about a foot with the largest going to as long as six or seven feet (requiring about 3 or 4 people to play).

Making one of these flutes is not a simple task. One must be extremely precise in how they carve the holes in this instrument or else the sounds will be significantly different from others. With the 8 holes that are carved, 6 comprise of different notes, one blow hole, and one hole that is used to create the sound. This hole, serves a significant purpose in that without it, the flute is deemed to be un-usable. Perhaps most particular characteristic that differs Dizi from other musical instruments is "Mo-Cong" (membrane hole), which is located between the blowhole and 6th finger hole. It was invented in the Tang Dynasty by Liu Xi who then named the flute the "Seven Star Tube". 

What makes this feature even special is its thin membrane covering. (Here's a little tutorial for you curious ones click here ! Some people mistake this membrane for rice paper. However, it is actually made from the inner tube of a bamboo or reed plant. Once Dizi is played, the membrane vibrates with the Dizi, producing a sweet, bright tone. In addition it helps to deliver the Dizi sound far away. It is said that the purpose of this great invention is "To promote tone quality". 

Also, you are able to discover the "right" tone for your specific musical mood simply by adjusting the membrane. It is not foreign for people to hold more than one type of flute for each season because temperature differences also account for the various changes in tune. Just like how it is made, these Chinese instruments also produce music that is synonymous with nature. Whether it be music depicting a waterfall, a bird chirping, or a horse galloping, all the music serves as a link between nature. (Click for some breathtaking flute music !)

In recent years, the Bamboo Flute has begun to change how it is perceived. It is no longer considered to be a musical instrument that only plays ancient or traditional musical forms. Now, it’s been increasingly found in modern pop music attracting the likes of Chinese pop sensations Jay Chou as well as American artists such as Josh Groban. It has also made its way to cinema scores in Chinese as well as American films; most recently The Karate Kid and The Forbidden Kingdom. The ability for the flute to change from a slow melody to a fast melody makes it suitable to be adapted into modern forms of music.

That’s a wrap for our adventure here in China ! Till next time !

Dan Bau: Music that touches the heart

Welcome back to another week of our musical excursion ! Last time, we were in Australia where we took a look at the infamous didgeridoo. This week, we will take our journey north to Vietnam to take a look at one of their most prized instruments, the Dan Bau. It is a single-stringed instrument just as its name implies. Dan means a stringed instrument and bau means gourd.

According to the “Dai Nam thuc luc tien bien” the first Dan Bau was made in 1770, but many sources say there have been variations of this instrument for thousands of years.

A popular urban legend of the Dan Bau’s origin tells of a blind woman who plays heart-warming music as a means of making ends meet for her family while her husband is away at war. It is said that she received the instrument from a fairy who was touched by the woman’s actions in saving her mother-in-law’s life. From that point on, the sounds and melodies of the Dan Bau have represented the beauty of the country as well as its people.  

The instrument, from the looks of it is just a wooden rod with a string attached to it. However, that is not all. The traditional Dan Bau is made up of four parts: the bamboo tube, a wooden rod, a coconut shell half, and a silk string. Each of these parts are carefully crafted to form a unique sound and shape. Presently, the instrument is made up of a wooden soundboard, spout, gourd, and an iron (guitar) string. The spout, which contributes in the variation of the string’s tension, is made of buffalo horn. The gourd on the other hand though still present in the formation of the Dan Bau, now only acts as a decorative feature. By changing over to these products, the instrument has become more durable as well as having the ability to produce even more notes.

The Dan Bau is played by using a technique that involves gently pressing on the string with the right pinky while the other fingers pluck the string using a device called the plectrum. In order to lower the pitch of the note, one must push the rod using the left index finger while pulling away from the rod produces a higher pitched note.

Unlike other traditional instruments of the world, the Dan Bau has adapted to the change in times. While other instruments have stuck to its traditional folk song origins, the Dan Bau has been included in modern pop songs as well as many film score productions. This was made possible with electrical pickups and amplifiers that has made the sound of the instrument more distinct and audible to larger audiences. However, solo performances of the Dan Bau are still widely seen and heard in all parts of Vietnam because of its ability to translate a great part of Vietnamese emotional expression through music.

If you would like to learn more about the Dan Bau check out the following blogs and videos !

http://lequangtn.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/dan-bau-a-unique-musical-instrument-of-viet-nam/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37qw5vNyYzE

The Didgeridoo

Last time we took an adventure to American Samoa where we learned about the pate, a type of drum.This week we are moving west to Australia to take a look at one of their most cherished traditional instruments, the DIDGERIDOO! What exactly is this thing with such an awesome name you might ask? It is.. as a matter of fact a wind instrument that people believe has been in existence for over 1,500 years.

A little history about this instrument..It was originally found in Arnhem Land, Northern Australia (but it is unclear as to how old it actually is). The primary use of the didgeridoo has been through Aboriginal ceremonies where nature, the dead, and storytelling have been honored.

The making of the instrument might sound rather peculiar to some, but it is what makes the instrument look and sound the way it does. It is made from a termite-hollowed bamboo or eucalyptus limb. Oftentimes the task in finding the perfect hollowed out bamboo and other materials takes a significant amount of time, because it affects the quality of the sound and its durability. After finding the perfect match, the craftsman trims the edges and removes any unnecessary bark from the to-be instrument, unveiling a one of a kind masterpiece. 

But WAIT! The instrument then goes through a whole personalized decoration process that symbolizes an important part of a performer’s life. Through playing the instrument the performer is able to bring that importance to life for all to share. Incredible isn’t it?

As part of my research, what I found to be interesting was the fact that the didgeridoo was rarely played by women. It was rather encouraged that females did not play the instrument. Though this varied from tribe to tribe, it is astonishing to see the significance it had on rights.

Now, what exactly does the didgeridoo sound like? It produces a low-pitch, resonant sound with complex rhythmic patterns ! Some people say that “if the earth had a voice it would be the sound of the Didgeridoo.” It is common for performer’s of the instrument to emit sounds that are related to animals in Australia. How is it played exactly? Well…it is played by continuously vibrating the lips while using a technique called circular breathing where you breathe in through your nose and expel the air through your mouth. Basically..you need to practice.

Recently, however, people have been noticing that playing the didgeridoo helps solve many sleeping discomforts such as sleep apnoea and snoring. 

According to the British Medical Journal, “regular training of the upper airways by didgeridoo playing reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners.” 

In short, if you have someone who’s decreasing your sleep time because of these reasons enroll them in a didgeridoo playing class !

That’s a wrap for this week’s excursion to Australia ! Next time, we’ll take our ship up north to Southeast Asia where we’ll explore more of their hidden musical treasures.

Here’s a video just in case you want to hear what it sounds like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEgXAu30yuY