Turkish Baglama:
The Baglama is one of the most popular stringed instruments in Turkey for about centuries. This instrument is also referred as saz - means Instrument. The term saz refers to the plucked string, long-neck lute instruments as were used in the Ottoman music, Turkish folk music, Armenian music, Azerbaijani music, and in few parts of Syria and Iraq.
Plucked string instrument saz, a pear-shaped body is carved from a block of hollowed out wood with 2- small round sound-holes on the bottom. The sound-board is made of various strips of thin wood in different colures. The thin, long neck is connected with a V-joint to the body. The tuning-head of Baglama is also connected with V-joint to the neck.
Baglama can be played by using a plectrum or can played with a finger style, known as selpe.
The most commonly used string instrument in Turkey is Baglama, has 7-strings and is divided into 2 or 3 courses. if capital letters are used for the lower octave and lowercase letters for the upper octave, the 7-strings are tuned as follows from bass to treble:
“ G g | d d | A a a”
The instrument’s name depends on the region, country, and even in size. Some names include Divan Sazi, Bozuk, Cogur, Cura, Tambura, Kopuz, and of course, Baglama. The smallest member is the cura while the largest among the baglama family is the divan sazi.
Specifications:
Baglama instrument has 3-main parts, including:
1- bowl or tekne, made out of mulberry, beech, juniper, walnut, or mahogany wood.
2- Soundboard of the Baglama- made out of spruce ( ladin ) or cedar wood.
3- Tuning peg, also known as burgu- frets are tied using a fishing line, which allows the frets to be adjusted.
By the way there are 4- main patterns in baglama.
These;
- Baglama düzeni
- Müstezat düzeni
- Misket düzeni
- Bozuk düzen
The most widely used layouts now a days are; baglama düzeni and bozuk düzen.
In the bozuk düzen ( saz bozuq tunning ) :
- low wires are tuned as "re" note,
- middle wires are "sol"
- top wires are tuned as "do"
In the baglama düzeni ( standart Tunning of baglama / Saz ) :
- lowest wires are "re" tuned,
- middle wires are "sol"
- upper wires are tuned as "la".
- There are Twenty-three frets on the long-neck of the instrument.
- There are Twenty-five sounds on a wire, the number can be increased.
Tuning:
The strings of this instrument are tuned in this way:
Baglama has an important appearance in producing great sound for its courses as well as physical activity. For this reason, all melodies suit it perfectly. Now there is a new Type Electric Baglama is also available.
Due to its small size it is particularly popular with musicians who need an instrument transportable enough to carry around easily or small enough to shelter under a coat.
The instrument is most recommended and has a mind blowing sound and you can get them in our online shop as we are presenting many different types of Baglama , use of which will provide you with a great satisfaction.