Summary of Arabic Musical Instruments

In this entry, I will summarize all the research I have done on Middle eastern music culture, picking up only interesting facts that I will use for my execution. I'll start with the instruments.

OUD
Start with a definition: Literally, 'ud means 'twig', 'flexible rod' or 'aromatic stick', and by inference 'piece of wood'

Then the history: According to Farabi (the greatest muslim scientist and philosopher!), the oud was invented by Lamech, the sixth grandson of Adam. The legend tells that the grieving Lamech hung the body of his dead son from a tree. The first oud was inspired by the shape of his son's bleached skeleton.

Specialty or interesting facts: In Iraq, there's a saying goes that in its music lies the country’s soul. In the 9th century, Miwardi, the jurist of Baghdad, extolled its use in treating illness. 'The oud invigorates the body. It places the temperament in equilibrium. It is a remedy... It calms and revives hearts'

Misc.: The Arabs traditionally used thin piece of wood as a plectrum, later replaced by the eagle's feather by Zyriab in Spain. The profound and mellow sound is referred to by Virtuosos throughout the Middle East as the ‘King of all instruments’. Also, the increasing fervor of Islamic militants who consider secular music to be haraam (forbidden) forced many Oud players or teachers into hiding or exile.

Secular music is non-sacred music that focused more on common law rather than religious terms. A lot of secular music were written during the Renassaince period.

QANUN
Starts with a definition: The Arabic word ‘kanun’ comes from the Greek word ‘kanon.’ The term ‘kanon’ means law, administration, rule, regulation. It is basically a zither with a narrow trapezoidal soundboard.

Interesting facts on how its made: The KANUN is constructed by skilled craftsmen in workshops in Turkey. Everything is made by hand using up to seven different kinds of wood. The top is made of sycamore wood, the back of pine wood,the bridge is made of maple. The design on the sides and top is cut out of rosewood and white pine.The sound board is completed by using either fish or calf leather, giving the KANUN its rich resonance.

Misc.: In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the kanun was one of the instruments that were played by women. The kanun was quite popular in Istanbul. A professional music ensemble without a kanun was unthinkable.

The qanun is suitable for the display of virtuosity, the execution of fioriture and rapid scales. Interestingly, this traditional Arabic instrument, has been replaced by the less complex piano, itself an outgrowth of the harpsichord, an instrument which exchanged the zither's plectra with hammers.

NEY/NAY
Definition: Persian for "reed" . It is the material from which the Ney is made. The end-blown ney of Turkey and Iran is made from the stem of a bamboo plant. The mouthpiece, generally made of buffalo horn, called baspare.

History and Uses:The ney is often used to create religious music in the Islamic traditions of Sufism. The music helps to induce a meditative state. Ney players are seen in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids. Thus, the ney has been played continuously for 4,500-5,000 years. It is one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.

Interesting facts: The ney’s mournful tone is reminiscent of a man’s voice during supplication. Additionally, the drum and the tambourine are representative of the lover, “for without the touch of the beloved’s fingers, the drum would be silent”. In Sufism, their music is believed to have healing powers, and their dancing has the power to achieve spiritual ecstasy.

Conclusion: I can create a metaphor and use humans and emotions to represent the instrument NEY.

KOMUZ
Definition:It is often used in the Kyrgyz Music in the Kyrgyzstan culture.

Interesting facts: This instrument was thought to have magical powers and was brought to wars and used in military bands. The names of parts of the komuz are often allusions to body parts, particularly of horses. For example, the neck is called IPA: [mojun] "neck", the tuning pegs are called IPA: [qulɑq], or "ear"s. The Kyrgyz word кыл/qyl means "string of an instrument" or "horse's hair".

MYTHS: Various myths exist about the komuz. One tells that the hunter Kambarkan was wandering in the forest when he heard a beautiful sound. He looked for the source and found the intestine of a squirrel tied between two tree branches, which he took and fashioned into a musical instrument. It is also said that the nightingale learned to sing by copying the komuz. The name is believed to have been derived from the ancient Turkic words "gop" meaning height and "uz" meaning voice, or magic music sound.