Gadulka

A gadulka ( Bulg Гъдулка, transkriptiert actually gadulka ) is a Bulgarian string instrument. It is played in the Balkan Mountains (central Bulgaria ) and in the region of Thrace ( Southeast Bulgaria ) in northern Bulgaria.

Construction

The gadulka consists of a sound body and a neck with a wider part, the head, closes. The material from which the gadulka is produced is, is mostly walnut, maple or mulberry wood.

The gadulka is usually three or four, rarely covered with more strings. In earlier times, there were also two-sided Gadulki. The main function is to the first string to which the melody is played. The gadulka has three melody strings ( often tuned in AE A ') and eight to ten sympathetic strings. The sympathetic strings are not painted and used, they are very thin, less than the melody strings and have the task to increase the resonance of the guitar notes. The instrument is supported while sitting on your lap or played while standing with a shoulder strap.

Traditionally a wood bow with horsehair fabric is used, but an ordinary violin bow serves the same purpose. The wood of the bow is usually made ​​of cherry wood or pasture.

Compared to the violin melody strings are in the gadulka very far from the neck removed so that a depression would be impossible on the fretboard - on a fingerboard is therefore completely omitted, as well as on an upper saddle. The strings are pressed so free, only touches upon gripping, not depressed. This leads to the rather dull, specific sound of the instrument that comes close to the sound of the viola in her lower register. The tone is determined by the free compressed strings harder overall as on a violin.

Mood

The most common is the three-stringed gadulka. The strings are tuned differently in different folklore regions of Bulgaria. Very popular is the " northern mood ", in which the first string is tuned to a 1, the second to a small octave, the third on e1. The melody is usually played on the first and third string.

The " Thracian mood " is similar to the north. The arrangement of the string is different. The first string is tuned to a 1, the second on e1 and the third to a small octave. This Thracian gadulka has the relatively largest range. The melody is played on all three strings.

Quite popular is the "Gypsy Mood ": First string a1, e1 second, third d1. The melody is carried out mainly on the first two strings.

The four-stringed Gadulki also be tuned differently, but in principle the ratio of strings to each other remains similar to the aforementioned moods of the tripartite gadulka. The fourth string is tuned in a secondary, octave, fifth or fourth to third.

The range of the gadulka is small. To generate the Thracian gadulka, which has the greatest range, sounds within a twelfth - from a small octave to e2. Only good players can extend the range of two octaves.

Dissemination

From the stringed instruments is the gadulka, an old Slavic instrument, in Bulgaria the most widespread. It is in many areas the dominant folk instrument, but lacking eg in the Rhodopes and in a part of the Pirin Mountains.

The gadulka is the favorite instrument of the old folk singers to the accompaniment of epic and upbeat songs, but is also used as a solo instrument.

Popularly orchestra of today gadulka takes the place of the string instruments of the symphony orchestra. There were also new instruments based on the gadulka introduced. These are the viola gadulka, the cello and the bass gadulka gadulka.