5 Most Inspiring Turkish Musical Instruments You Should Try
Every culture is unique in its way. Turkey happens to be a country that unites two different continents and the multiple cultures in the region. It’s a country with a rich blend of music.
Over the years, music has evolved, and so many different styles have emerged. For this reason, a lot of new Turkish musical instruments have been invented.
If you ever get the chance to visit Turkey or even listen to their music, then instruments like Zurna, Baglama, Oud, Tef, and Tulum will deeply inspire you.
These instruments play a tune that will impact your soul. And if you are looking to play, get ready to play your emotions out. There’s no better way to express your feelings than letting them out with these instruments.
Unique Turkish Instruments
Turkish musical instruments are a product of ancient and diverse history. Though the instruments spoken about below are unique to Turkey, they are still played and celebrated in other countries.
For instance, you will find that many of the countries in the Middle East have similar instruments and music.
The 5 Turkish Musical Instruments
1. Zurna
The Zurna is an ancient wind instrument that remains significant in the Turkish music industry. Some consider it relative to the oboe instrument.
The Zurna produces a really loud and high-pitched tone. Its sound is so distinct that it can pierce through any noise, so you’ll be heard when you play the zurna.
Most of the time, this instrument is played at weddings or traditional dances. To play it the way you like, you can choose its length which also plays a role in its pitch.
Back in the time, zurna was made from plum trees and apricot trees. But now, there are modern zurnas made from metal.
2. Bağlama
Bağlama is quite possibly the most popular instrument in Turkish music. If you’ve ever been to the capital Istanbul, you might have come across people playing it out in public.
Another name for bağlama is saz, and the instrument has an affiliation with the Lute, an Asian instrument. Bağlama is a very versatile instrument, and you can play it in both modern and traditional music. So it won’t limit you as an artist at all. You might agree that it resembles a guitar like those in the west, but this instrument has unique features.
3. Tef (Tambourine)
I’m sure you’ve seen some form of Tef since they exist in many cultures. For example, in Turkish culture, tambourines are named tef.
Tef can be made from metal or without, but usually, It’s very similar to tambourines that are played in the west.
The tef consists of a leather material stretched across the wooden piece, and these have cultural artwork on the sides.
4. Ud (Oud)
Ud is also known as Oud, and once again, it is affiliated with the Asian instrument lute. Ud was very popular during the Ottoman Empire, and some say that it dates back to the 14th century. And, now you can even find ouds with a pickup.
The Ud has a short neck and fathead as compared to the bağlama. Through this instrument, you can produce bright and lively music.
We have a list prepared of the five best oud music recommendations for you to understand how magical the instrument is. And if you’re thinking about learning the oud after listening to the sound of it, you can find online oud lessons as well.
5. Tulum
Have you heard of a bagpipe? Tulum is the Turkish version of that. It’s another wind instrument with great significance in Turkey’s folk tradition. To play tulum, you need to blow air into the Tulum, which is then stored in the sack. This sack is made from lambskin and is called deri kismi.
The next step is to squeeze the bag; this transports the air you had previously blown towards the nav. Nav is the melody part of a tulum that creates a tune and can change the pitch depending on playing it with your fingers.
Takeaway
Like you’ve gotten to learn, the Turkish music industry has access to multiple unique and inspiring musical instruments.
Out of these five, you can play any and experience the magic of letting your emotions take control while playing an instrument.
