Musical Instruments of the Arab World

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Musical Instruments of the Arab World 
- reflects the unity and the diversity within the music itself
- before World War I, it gradually expanded into an orchestra that contained these Arab instruments and others borrowed from the West:
    'Ud- (chordophone)- typical of Egypt. Pear shaped, short-necked, fretless    
    instrument. It has 5 double course strings made of nylon. It is derived from the
    Arabic word meaning "wood". Ziryab added the fifth pair of strings to the 'ud.
    - Plucked with an eagle's feather or a piece of plastic
    - tuned to G' A' D G C
    - suitable for both solo players and ensembles
    - known as the the "prince of enchantment" (amir altarab) because of its warm  
    timbre and microtonal flexibility

Qanun- (chordophone) West Asian. flat zither - type instrument, trapezoidal in shape.

- derived from Arabic word, "Kanun" which means rule, principle and mode 

- it has 26 triple courses of strings that are made from nylon or gut and metal wound silk

-plucked with a short horn - pleetra placed between the tip of each index finger and a small metal ring 

Nay-(aerophone)West Asia. open-ended, obliquely bown flute, made from reed, not bamboo. 

- exhibits a breathy tone 

- wide range of almost 2.5 (2 1/2) octaves

- capable of producing dynamic and tonal inflections 

- urban instrument 

- connected with Sufism 

- very ancient instrument appearing in wall paintings in Egyptian pyramids and instruments themselves were found in excavations site in Iraq. 

Western Violin - has been fully adopted in the Arab world 

 - ideal in matters of timing and playing technique 

Riqq-(west asia) also called the daff- small tambourine 

- has 5 sets of heavy, beaten and molded brass cymbals speaced evenly around the frame

Tablah- Hindustani - also called the darbukkah - vase shaped hand drum 

Urban Music of Iraq 

- all above instruments are used in addition to the two others which are locally important 

- santur 

- jawzah - four string spike diddle whose sound box is part of a coconut shell covered in skin 

- in urban tradition of Nort Africa, other instruments are essential 

Andalusian 'ud of Tunistia - felted neck, four double coarses of strings 

- rebab- small boat shaped fiddle whose appearance is somewhat similar to that of the medieval Rebec. 

- long thin neck with strings 

- united range 

- almost heart shaped body made of wood 

- chordophone 

- West Asia 

Levant and Iraq

Bedouin rababah- quadrilateral sound box covered with skin and a single string made from horsehair 

- customarily played the sha'ir, or poet singer, to accompany heroic and love songs 

- played with horse hair bow 

-capable of side range of dynamic accents and ornaments 

Mihbaj- (idiophone)- a wood cobble grindes consisting of about a foot tall base and a two foot pestle. 

- served the double purpose of being a household item and a percussive instrument 

-symbol of affluence, social statues and hospitality 

Tabl- large double sided drum 

Rayyis - the leading instrumentalist 

Sajat - small brass finger cymbals 

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