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New surprise acquisition! Thank you so very much to my Aunt in Memphis for this special birthday present! B Is For Bandurria The bandurria is a stringed instrument, in the chordophone family along with the guitar and mandolin. It is originally from Spain, and is often called a Spanish mandolin, and is both similar to and distinct from the modern mandolin in several ways. First of all, the bandurria, like the mandolin, contains courses of double strings. In Medieval times, the bandurria had three courses of double strings, which were later increased to five, then to six, giving it a total of twelve strings Also like the mandolin, the bandurria has a flat back, though earlier in history it had a round back. The traditional tuning for the bandurria is G#, c#, f#, b, e, and a. However, depending on the song, playing style, and culture, the instrument may be tuned up or down a whole or half step. Variations of the bandurria also exist in many countries which were formally colonized by Spain. For example, the Filipino bandurria contains fourteen strings and is tuned a step lower than the Spanish one. The Filipino bandurria has also been made out of coconuts and goatskin. The bandurria is also popular in South America: unlike the Spanish version, these bandurrias have four courses of strings, but these courses sometimes have three or four strings each. Personal Note: My Aunt informed me that the bandurria can also be tuned to the standard guitar tuning, that is, E-A-d-g-b-e, and the same chord shapes can be used for fingering. This is the tuning I use, but am still working out the challenge of having to use tighter chord shapes, especially with having long fingers. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSja-Ctr4dhVUqxScWNplCJF9CmV7x49Cy074U0/?utm_medium=tumblr

F Is For Flute The flute is one of the oldest instruments in the world. It is also one of the most basic and essential of the woodwind instruments. Even today, varieties of flutes exist in almost every culture of the world. The idea of the flute is simple: a tube if some sort which is blown in a hole at one end, creating sound which comes out A hole at the other end. Notes are made by covering small holes up and down the tube. Some flutes, such as the Irish wood flute pictured below, are played by covering up the holes with the fingers directly; others are played by pressing keys which cover the holes with stops. The classical flute, also pictured below, is played in this way. Flutes can also be made out of many different materials: the earliest found primitive flutes were made out of bone. Throughout history, and nowadays, flutes have more commonly been made out of various types of wood and metal. Some flutes are made out of glass and crystal. There are two main types of flutes. The first is called side-blown, where the flute is held horizontally, or sideways, and air is blown through a hole on the side of the flute. The second is the end-blown, or fipple, flute, which is held vertically, or up and down. Air is blown into a specially-shaped mouthpiece at the top. Air then comes out an edge in the mouthpiece, creating the sound. The recorder, bamboo flute, and tin whistle, pictured below, are played in this way. The recorder has also generally one of the first instruments introduced in school for music practice, because of its simplicity of play and sound. Next: H Is For Hand Percussion https://www.instagram.com/p/CSWtyE_MUaSXVbUnBAc_NK9nPgTEaEjPIZoYtU0/?utm_medium=tumblr

D Is For Dulcimer The dulcimer is a stringed instrument. Although there are many kinds of instruments known as the dulcimer, this particular one is known as an Appalachian dulcimer or mountain dulcimer. As far as is known, the Appalachian dulcimer is a purely American instrument. While it is similar to Scandinavian and German instruments, which are possibly distant ancestors via England and Scotland, its origins lie in the Scots-Irish inhabitants of Appalachia. It is thought that because of the lack of tools necessary to create fiddles, the dulcimer served as an easier instrument to construct and learn how to play. It became popular because of its being able to be played on a table or lap, and thus became popular as a parlor and porch instrument. The Appalachian dulcimer is also known as the teardrop dulcimer, because of its shape. The simplest form of dulcimer (pictured below) is this shape, with four strings, the two leftmost strings being tuned in unison. The most common tunings for the dulcimer are, from lowest to highest, or left to right, strings, are D-A-D, D-D-A, and D-G-D. Sometimes, for more minor-keyed melodies (or Aeolian mode), the dulcimer is tuned to D-A-C. In modern times, dulcimer melodies are usually transcribed in modes, rather than keys. The dulcimer can either be strummed or plucked, like a guitar. Also like a guitar, the dulcimer's neck is fretted. Generally, the melody is played on the top strings, with the bottom, or left, two strings providing a drone accompaniment. Probably the best-known singer to bring the dulcimer into mainstream popularity was Jean Ritchie, who is also called, by some, the "Mother of Folk," and influenced, among many others, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Emmylou Harris. Well-known contemporary dulcimer players include Doug Berch, Stephen Seifert, Bing Futch, and Wendy Songe. Additionally, Joni Mitchell, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Cyndi Lauper, and Peter Buck of R.E.M. have also recorded with the dulcimer. Next: F Us For Flute Personal Note: I confess to acquiring this dulcimer on a random dare from a friend. It has turned out to be an excellent investment. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSP9BIgM_nwLwCN-M3NOnJFKmAAmhkPbW4soog0/?utm_medium=tumblr

D Is For Djembé

The djembé is a percussion instrument from West Africa. Like the darbuka discussed in a previous post, the djembe is a goblet drum.

The name "djembé" is possibly derived from a saying in Bambara, a West African language in Mali: "Anke dje, anke be," which, roughly translated means, "Let us all gather together in peace"; the word "dje" meaning "together" and "be" meaning "peace." This describes the purpose of the djembé: to serve as a focal point and accompaniment for gathering, singing, and dancing together for celebrations.

The traditional construction of the djembé consists of a goblet or conical shaped wooden body, topped by a head of untreated rawhide, usually goat skin. Modern djembés (such as the one pictured here) are made of synthetic material for the drum head. Traditional djembés are also tied together with cord, and the tones of the drum can be changed by adjusting the cords.

Traditionally as well, the djembé is accompanied by a bass-type drum called a dundun; a hollowed out gourd rattle covered in beads called a shekere; a tubular bell, similar to a cowbell, called a karignan; and a basket rattle called a kese kese. African music also generally consists of call and response songs, where a singer sings a verse, and everyone either repeats the verse or sings a short repeated chorus.

The initial spread of the djembé is generally attributed to Fodeba Keita, who founded Les Ballets Africains in 1952. With the encouragement and support of Guinea's first president, Sékou Touré, Les Ballets Africains, along with similar ensembles which were formed in other countries in the region around about the same time, toured the world, exposing traditional West African music and dance to a wider audience. As a result, the djembé gained popularity among African American, Latin American, and folk musicians; indeed, the djembé makes a prominent appearance on Paul Simon's album, "Graceland."

Next: D Is For Dulcimer

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D Is For Diddley Bow The diddley bow is a stringed instrument. While it certainly has an unusual name and look, it is actually a testimony to the ingenuity of the earliest rural blues musicians, many of whom had to improvise their own instruments. The blues has its earliest origins in the days of slavery, and is named after the accidental notes which feature prominently in many tunes; these notes were called "blue" notes. The theory that blues music was named after a sad feeling conveyed in the songs is only partly true; the earliest blues songs are actually written about a number of subjects, both happy and sad. Some blues songs originated in the fields in which the slaves worked, as a means of secret communication. After the Civil War, the African Americans who were freed from slavery in the South were still forced to live under tremendous discrimination and abject poverty. This meant that even though they still maintained their musical traditions from the days of slavery, such as the blues, they were too poor to afford their own ready-made instruments. So they improvised their own instruments with the materials they had at hand. The diddley bow is one such instrument. In the decades following Reconstruction on the South, there was a mass migration of African Americans to northern cities. The rural blues musicians moved with them, bringing their music to the bars, juke joints, and nightclubs of their new city homes. This exposed blues music to a wider audience. The construction of the diddley bow is simple: a cigar box for the body; a dowel rod for the neck; a couple of screws and a guitar tuning pegs at the top of the neck; a metal string; and a piece of coil at the bottom of the string for tuning. The diddley bow is played by strumming with a plectrum. Additionally, the earliest blues musicians would break the necks off of glass bottles to use as slides, creating notes by sliding the bottle up and down the string. This is the origin of the term "bottleneck" guitar playing. Today, glass or metal guitar slides are used, but many traditionalists continue to use actual bottles. Next: D Is For Djembe https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJwTeQgx82UzxWo6ZPwR1RP3bKzRjjkGpWU_s0/?utm_medium=tumblr

D Is For Darbuka The darbuka is a percussion instrument, that is a type of drum. It is part of a larger category of drums called the goblet drum, varieties of which exist in both the Near and Far East, and even those areas of Eastern Europe which were previously part of the Ottoman Empire, and which are known by many different names. This particular darbuka comes from Egypt, and has distinguishing characteristics which indicate its origin. The most prominent is that its drumhead is completely flat: this allows for greater flexibility in fingerwork, especially for rolls, or fast finger drumming on the edge of the drumhead. The darbuka's drumhead is also tighter than most other drums, giving it a higher pitch and timbre. Each distinctive note or pitch on the darbuka is given a different syllable, generally "doom" for the lowest sound; "tak" or "ka" for the sound made by striking the edge of the drumhead; and "pa" or "sak" for a brief muted strike on the drum. As mentioned before, drum rolls and claps are also part of the various rhythm patterns on the darbuka, called dumbek rhythms. The darbuka is most commonly associated with Middle Eastern dance music, especially belly dance, but it features in much of Middle Eastern religious and popular music as well. Next: D Is For Diddley Bow https://www.instagram.com/p/CSJqSN0rKww0utk9sy8fKKDZ-O_QKk5m1qqp8I0/?utm_medium=tumblr

C Is For Classical Guitar The classical guitar is a stringed instrument. It is part of a larger family of guitars, individual members of which will be discussed in future posts. The word "guitar" is derived from the Arabic word "qitara," which in turn derives from the Greek word "kithara," referring to a kind of harp. However, in Modern Greek, the word "kithara" has come to refer to the guitar. The guitar is directly descended from a Middle Eastern instrument which was introduced into Andalusia (modern-day Spain) during the Moorish conquest of the area. It is also related to the oud, a type of lute, which will also be discussed in a future post. The modern classical guitar itself evolved from the Baroque guitar and the Flamenco guitar. It is distinguished by a somewhat smaller and narrower body than a steel-strung guitar; a wide neck; and with the bottom three strings being made of metal, and the top three made of nylon (though earlier in history animal intestines were used). It also has a lower action, that is, a lower height between the strings and neck, and the strings tend to be looser and softer, making the strings easier to press down on. All these elements have tended to make the classical guitar an ideal instrument for beginners. The classical guitar is traditionally played seated and balanced on the left knee, with the left leg being elevated to allow the player to face the neck for ease of playing. Also, while steel-strung guitars are generally strummed or plucked with a plectrum, traditionally only the fingers are to be used for both strumming and plucking. Also, proper technique calls for using the thumb as little as possible, or to avoid it entirely, especially in traditional Spanish playing. Many classical guitarists allow their right fingernails to grow long, for ease of plucking and strumming, and trim their left fingernails to avoid buzzing on the neck. Some of the most famous classical guitarists in modern times include Andres Segovia, Christopher Parkening, Angel Romero, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Julian Bream, Vicente Amigo, and John Williams (not the composer). https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFxYzds8a-UK2y7vtyzZT9eMKbwjwQ0FF9wxw0/?utm_medium=tumblr

C Is For Clarinet The clarinet is a woodwind instrument. It is especially known for its ability to approximate the sound of the human voice, and, as a result, is used in many different kinds of music today. The word "clarinet" is derived from the name of the instrument called a clarion, a high-pitched reed instrument which originated in the Middle East. The clarinet itself is not directly descended from the clarion, but rather from another reed instrument called the chalumeau. It is believed the clarinet was developed to achieve the high musical range and octaves which brass instruments at the time were unable to do. The official invention of the clarinet is thought to have been in or around 1700 in Germany, by Johann Christoph Denner. The shape of the clarinet is a cylindrical tube, with a flared bell at the bottom. Like the oboe and orchestral flute, the clarinet is played by operating keys and stops which cover and uncover the finger holes. Also like the oboe, the clarinet is a reed instrument, with the breath being blown through a reed, rather than directly through the tube, as with a flute. The pieces of the clarinet are held together with padded cork. The most common key for the clarinet is B flat, but clarinets in A also exist for pieces in that key and related keys. The clarinet has long been an essential element of classical, jazz, klezmer, new age, big band, and marching band music. Clarinetists of the past and present include Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet, Woody Herman, Sabine Meyer, Artie Shaw, Andy Statman, and Richard Stoltzman. Also, perhaps one of the most well-known classical clarinet pieces is the Cat's Theme from Peter and the Wolf. Next: C Is For Classical Guitar https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDW5SCsV8RMrzCJMUVKt5KoAMSYSIz2T69qFg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Bosun's Whistle While not necessarily a musical instrument, the Bosun's whistle does play an important historical role. Its name comes from the fact that it was used by the Boatswain (pronounced "Bosun"), who was usually the First Mate on board a sailing ship. The Boatswain's assistant was called the Boatswain's Mate. In the days before loudspeakers and sirens, commands to a ship's crew were communicated by various signals of the whistle. The Boatswain was responsible for communicating orders from the Captain, or Master, which were then relayed through short and long blasts of the whistle, depending on the command being given. While the whistle is no longer in regular everyday use, it is still regularly used ceremonially by the Navy. It also forms the badge of the United States Navy Quartermaster, Chief Boatswain's Mates, and Boatswain's Mate. Next: C Is For Chord Organ https://www.instagram.com/p/CR__Id5FO4NoIb5YtqLdosUjdrR8GYqiq5YFew0/?utm_medium=tumblr

C Is For Cajon The cajon is one of the simplest, yet also most versatile, percussion instruments. It is simply a box; in fact, its very name is the Spanish word meaning "box." Like many percussion instruments in the Western Hemisphere, it was developed by the descendants of African slaves. It originated in Peru, and early on was a staple of Afro-Peruvian music, which then became part of the larger Latin American music scene. Construction of the cajon is simple: three hard pieces of wood, with the box completed by a sturdy piece of plywood, held together by screws. The cajon is mainly played by slapping it with the hands, but can also be played with sticks or brushes. It also has the advantage of being able to serve as a seat for the drummer, and is even more portable than most other drums. In recent years, the cajon has also been making an appearance in Celtic music, as a replacement for the bodhran when desired. Next: B Is For Bosun's Whistle https://www.instagram.com/p/CR_9X2klrznTAerPMPICwfDZTZcePhzXEQEdHc0/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Bongos The bongos, a pair of hand drums, originated in Cuba. They were adapted from Central African drums by descendants of Africans who lived in Cuba, and who began using them in Latin music styles which were becoming popular during the latter part of the 19th century. The bongos are made of up sets of two open-bottomed drums, one larger and one smaller. In Spanish, the larger drum is referred to as "hembra" and is considered to be female; while the smaller drum is considered to be male and is called "macho." Furthermore, a bongo player is known in Spanish as a "bongosero." Also, before the invention of tuning keys for drum heads, the drums were tuned by exposure to heat from oil or kerosene lamps. The heat from the lamp was used to expand the drum head. As Latin music gained popularity in American culture, bongoseros such as Mongo Santamaria, Arsenio Rodriguez, Armando Peraza, and Rogelio Darias played an important role in making sure the bongos occupied an important place in Latin bands. The enduring popularity of Latin music ensures that the bongos will continue to remain an essential element of Latin music. Outside of music, perhaps the most common occurrence of the bongos in modern culture is, in fact, the comical running sound effect in cartoons, especially older ones. (Think, for example, of Scooby Doo and Shaggy running in place before running away, which is where the bongos sound effect frequently happens.) Tomorrow: C Is For Cajon https://www.instagram.com/p/CR-ev-BM2qJrK8zm50f-7LAa6OPS1eFClpzvlI0/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Bodhran The Bodhran (pronounced "bow-ron"), is a frame drum which originated in Ireland. The word "bodhran" is possibly derived from an old Irish word meaning "deaf," referring to the bodhran's lower-pitched timbre. While the bodhran is not actually itself an ancient instrument, it is descended from ancient Irish drums, and also from the tambourine, which, until the bodhran was introduced into Irish music, provided much of the rhythm accompaniment. Up until the middle of the last century, the bodhran was regarded as more of a child's toy. Then, around about that time, a young Irish composer and performer named Sean O Riada began to utilize the bodhran in his newly-formed traditional Irish music performance group Ceoltoiri Chualann. He inspired both his contemporaries and the new upcoming generation of traditional musicians to use the bodhran regularly, generally providing both a sort of bass accompaniment and rhythm. Bodhran rhythms are usually learned by reciting various versions of the phrase "rashers and eggs." For example, the standard jig rhythm goes "rashers and bacon, rashers and eggs, rashers and bacon, rashers and eggs" over and over. It is generally played with a special stick called a beater, but can also be played with a hand and/or fingers. Today, the bodhran remains an indispensable element of Celtic music. Modern-day bodhran players include Kevin Conneff of The Chieftains (himself a disciple of Sean O Riada); Donal Lunny; Christy Moore; Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh of De Danann; Caroline Corr; and even the actor Tate Donovan (best known as the voice of Disney's Hercules). Tomorrow: B Is For Bongos https://www.instagram.com/p/CR-YZ0jM_c9oWUaYId1QsT3IT1AW0VvVm1PY_o0/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Banjo One of the most iconic American instruments of all time, the origins of the banjo are actually ultimately in West Africa. One theory is that is an adaptation of an instrument called the Mbanza, which is itself an adaptation of the Portuguese word Banza, referring to a small guitar. The Mbanza, forms of which still exist in West Africa and the Caribbean to this day, is made out of a gourd and animal skin covering, with various materials used for strings. The Mbanza is also similar in construction to the Kora harp, which will be described in another post. When African slaves were brought from West Africa and the Caribbean to the United States, they managed to preserve and adapt many of their traditions from their places of origin, even despite the horrific circumstances under which they lived. One of these was what would later become the banjo. The earliest banjos, like their African ancestors, were made out of a gourd covered with animal skin, much like a drum, a wooden stick neck, and four strings, with the fourth string being shorter than the others. Enslavers learned how to play the banjo from their slaves, which meant that the banjo became widespread throughout America. Banjo choirs also became a part of the then-popular minstrel shows, which fell out of popularity as racial sensitivities changed. The banjo itself, however, continued to remain popular, and remains popular to this day. The traditional banjo is made out of a round drum, strung with five strings, with the fifth string being shorter than the others. The banjo can be strummed, but is generally played in a fast fingerpicking style, called clawhammer. The most common tuning for a five string banjo is G-D-G-B-D. There also exist plectrum banjos, which are played with a pick for single-note playing. The banjo pictured is a small plectrum banjo with four strings. The tuning for a four string banjo is generally tuned C-G-B-D. Tenor banjos are of a lower octave than a regular banjo, have four strings, and are often tuned G-D-A-E, like a mandolin. They are especially popular in Celtic music. Tomorrow: B Is For Bodhran https://www.instagram.com/p/CR-DNW6sQpcWLuFJ5o7io3gx5c-8OSYtfEdqv40/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Bagpipe Practice Chanter This instrument, a woodwind, is used for practicing melodies on the bagpipes, without having to use a complete bagpipe set. The chanter, like the oboe, clarinet, or saxophone, is a reed instrument. The bagpipe itself, while commonly associated with Scotland, was actually commonly widespread throughout Europe well before then. The earliest evidence of the bagpipe dates back to 1000 B.C. in what is now Turkey, and various forms of the bagpipe are documented in both writing and art throughout Europe after then. In Germany, the bagpipe is known as the Dudelsack, and was commonly used to accompany dancing bears during the Middle Ages. The earliest record of the Great Scottish Highland Pipes, or Piob Mor, the most commonly-known type of bagpipes, dates from the mid-16th century. Following the last Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, playing the pipes was outlawed, but gradually allowed again as more Scottish Army regiments were formed. The construction of the bagpipe is simple: the chanter and reed attached to a sack, usually made of leather, though other animal skins were used in the past. Synthetic materials are now more common. At least one long pipe, called the drone, along with another reed, is also attached to the bag. The bag is inflated by blowing air into a mouth pipe, providing air for both the chanter and drone. Certain bagpipes, like the Scottish Lowland Pipes, Northumbrian Pipes, and Irish Uilleann Pipes, are inflated with bellows pumped by the elbow, rather than by the mouth. The melody is played on the chanter, by using finger holes for notes, and the drone provides a sustained accompanying note. Tomorrow: B Is For Banjo https://www.instagram.com/p/CR9WBxVgCHYz8wfcFwvGZfPpMgCAZ8DHaxMXNA0/?utm_medium=tumblr

B Is For Bass Guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument, and one of the most recognizable in popular music today. It is used to play the bass line, or bottom notes of song accompaniment. It started when upright double bass players, who found it cumbersome to play the double bass in certain settings, began tuning down the bottom four strings of guitars to a lower octave. This made playing bass easier, especially in rock music. The first bass guitar was invented in the 1930s, and became popular in the 1950s, especially in rock and jazz music settings. Bass guitars are most commonly played in electric form, but acoustic bass guitars are also frequently used. The bass guitar is used mainly for accompaniment, helping to provide the rhythm along with the drums, especially in rock music. However, the bass guitar can also be played as a solo instrument. Stanley Clarke and Flea are especially known for their solo work on the bass guitar. Like the guitar, the bass guitar generally has frets on the neck to help mark placement of fingers for notes and chords. However, there are also fretless basses, which allow for more flowing, smoother movement between notes, especially in jazz. Also like the guitar, the bass guitar can be played either with the fingers or a plectrum (pick). Again, in rock and pop music today the usual purpose of the bass is to play together with the drums to provide rhythm. The bass guitar has also not replaced the upright bass at all; double basses are still popular among contemporary musicians, especially in more traditionally acoustic genres, like bluegrass. There is also a traditional Mexican acoustic bass guitar, called a guittaron, which is generally played in mariachi music. Several well-known bass guitar players include Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce, Geezer Butler, Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Flea, and Geddy Lee. Tomorrow: B Is For Bagpipe Practice Chanter https://www.instagram.com/p/CR83DSvLk2w7e4NZqT0y0mGNEOuTyaApor8mjI0/?utm_medium=tumblr

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