Persian music instruments

5 Persian Musical Instruments Echo Through the Ages

 

Persian Musical Instruments: If you’re interested in music rich in tradition and culture, you’ll want to explore the captivating sounds of Persian music. One of the defining features of Persian music is its use of various instruments, each with its unique sound and purpose.

This article will explore iconic Persian musical instruments, including the santoor, ney-anbān, tanbur, kamancheh, and tonbak.

From the dulcet tones of the santoor to the haunting melodies of the ney-anbān, you’ll discover the history and significance of each instrument and learn how they contribute to the distinctive sound of Persian music. Join us on a journey through the world of Persian music and experience its powerful and evocative beauty.

 

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1. Ney-anban: Enchanting Melodies Soar with Persian Music Instrument

Ney-anbān is a type of bagpipe that is popular in southern Iran, especially around Bushehr. The term ney-anban means “bag pipe,” but more specifically can refer to a type of drone double-chartered bagpipes played in Southern Iran. This Persian musical instrument is similar to the Bahrainian jirga played by ethnic Iranians in the Persian Gulf islands.

 

 

2. Tanbur: The Resonant Strings of Tranquility

 The tanbur is a plucked string instrument. It has two strings, and because of this, it is also called dotar (“do” means two in Persian, and “tar” means string). However, in the province of Kerman Shah, it is called Tanbur and has three strings. The best documents about this instrument’s history are the paintings and descriptions in Farabi’s Musiqi al-Kabir (950 ). In this book, Farabi mentions the two kinds of tanbur: the tanbur of Khorasan and the tanbur of Baqdad.
In Persia, there are eight kinds of tanbur with different sound characteristics. 

 

Persian musical instruments 11

 

3. Santoor: Mesmerizing Harmonies Unveiled with Persian Musical Instrument

Persian Santoor is a string instrument with strings stretched over a trapezoidal-shaped box. Santoor’s invention is attributed to Farabi (9th century A.D.). The earliest sign of this Persian musical instrument comes from Assyrian and Babylonian stone carvings (669 B.C.); it shows the instrument being played while hanging from the player’s neck.

Persian Santoor In pre-Islamic Iran, people were acquainted with it and used to call it Kunar.

The shape of the Persian Santoor is inspired by a ship, its strings like a fishing net, and its sound resembles the waves hitting the rocks at the beach.

 

 

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4. Tonbak: Persian Music Rhythm Unleashed

Tonbak (also written Tombak, Donbak, Dombak; also known as Zarb) is a Persian musical instrument goblet-shaped drum made of wood covered with lamb or goat skin. It is the chief percussion instrument of Persian art music. The playing technique utilizes finger articulation and snapping sounds, typical of the instrument’s sound. The syllables of its name imitate the two prominent sounds of the drum The tonbak is typically positioned diagonally across the torso while the player uses one or more fingers and/or the palm(s) of the hand(s) on the drumhead, often (for a ringing timbre) near the drumhead’s edge.

 

 

5. Kamancheh: A Journey into Persian Musical Traditions

The kamānche or kamāncha (Persian: کمانچه ) is a Persian musical instrument bowed stringed instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family.

The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word “kamancheh” means “little bow” in Persian (kæman, bow, and -Cheh, diminutive). It is widely used in the classical music of Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with slight variations in the instrument’s structure.

 


Persian musical instruments: Kamanche

 

Persian Musical Instruments Conclusion

Persian musical instruments have a rich history and cultural significance that spans thousands of years. Each instrument has its unique sound and purpose, contributing to Persian music’s distinct and captivating sounds. Persian musical instruments have captured the hearts of music lovers worldwide, from the passionate and soulful melody of the kamancheh to the rhythmic beats of the tonbak. We hope this article has provided you with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beauty and richness of Persian music. Whether you’re a musician, a music enthusiast, or someone looking to explore new cultures, we encourage you to continue discovering the wonders of Persian music.

You may find more Persian musical instruments in Iran! If you are interested, just contact Tours of Iran.

 

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