Baglama: the Ancient Sound of Anatolia
Baglama. If a single instrument were to represent Turkish folk music it would have to be the baglama. There is no region, no village in Anatolia which is not familiar with this string instrument...
Baglama represents Turkish folk musicIf a single instrument were to represent Turkish folk music it would have to be the baglama. There is no region, no village in Anatolia which is not familiar with this string instrument. It is descended from the kopuz, which is frequently mentioned in the sagas of Dede Korkut dating from around the 8th century.
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The Kopuz and the BaglamaThe kopuz differs from the baglama in having a leather covered body, a fingerboard without frets, and two or three strings
made either of horsehair, or of sheep or wolf gut. It is played by
beating with the fingers, rather than being plucked with a plectrum.
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Dervishes and the BaglamaAlevi and Bektasi dervishes and the baglama Like its ancestor the kopuz, the Turkmens of Anatolia attached sacred significance to the baglama, and the religious ceremonies of the Alevi and Bektasi sects begin by kissing the baglama and touching it to the head before beginning to play the hymns which made up a large part of the ritual. |
Types of baglama used in Turkey
One of the most common types of baglama used in Turkey today is the divan, the largest of the family in terms of both body size and fingerboard length. It is generally played in a plain, unornamented style, and is used for playing at low pitch. It has seven strings in three groups.
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Baglama Tunings and Playing StylesBaglamas are tuned differently in every part of Turkey, and the structure of the folk song to be played and the strokes of the plectrum affect the tuning system.
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Baglama MakingElectric baglamas began to be made in the late 1960s to increase the sound volume and enable it to be used in rock music. Structurally similar to the original instrument, these have electroguitar pickups fitted into the body.
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