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Barbat (lute)
Encyclopedia
The barbat or barbud is a lute
of ancient Persian
origin. The Arabic Oud
is derived from an ancient Persian barbat. Today's barbat, however, is essentially the same thing as today's oud: the instrument is often called the barbat when played in a Persian tradition, while called the oud when played in an Arabic tradition.
age into its current form, called the oud
. After the tanbur
, it is the oldest string instrument in Iran
. In 800 B.C. a kind of barbat was used. In some books the invention of this instrument is ascribed to Barbad
. As it is told in some books, the reason to name this instrument Barbat is that this name is the Arabic form of Barbad, but in some other books it is told that bat means "chest," so the similarity between the form of a barbat and the chest of a drake
is the other reason for its name. The most famous barbat player in history was Barbad
.
After Islam
's takeover of Iran, this instrument was taken to Arabia and after a while it came back to Iran in a changed form. When Islamic culture penetrated into Europe, this instrument was used is some parts with different names. For example, in Italy it was called lotto, in France loth, in Portugal aland, and in Spain loud. The instrument was abolished in Safavid period for an unknown reason (perhaps due to religious fanaticism), even until recent decades.
It is likely that the earliest oud
s were carved from a solid piece of wood. By the time of the Moorish period in Spain
, the body was in its characteristic staved wood vaulted back design. In fact, this staved wood may be the namesake for the oud as the word means "wood" or "flexible stick," and the top was made of wood, as opposed to the skin of the earlier lute
s, and the vaulted back that provided the model for the European lute and mandolin
was constructed from many steam-bent "flexible sticks" unlike the Persian barbat, which was carved out of a single piece of wood and may have been the original model for the oud. Also, as one can see in the images, after the barbat was taken to the Arab world, the body became larger and the neck got shorter.
, but care must be taken to have the face vertical so that it is not visible to the player, and to support the weight with the thigh and right arm so that the left hand is free to move around the fingerboard. Note the idiosyncratic manner of holding the mizrab (Turkish) or risha (Arabic, lit. "feather") or pick; although it seems awkward it is in reality easier than a conventional flatpick and gives the "right" tonal shading to the plucked note.
In all matters of holding and playing it is recommended that the player use only the muscles needed for any musical task and to relax as much as possible, using only as much force as is necessary. This will allow one to play longer, easier and to put the effort into creativity rather than mechanics. In the past many players sat cross-legged on a rug, but now most perform sitting, often using a classical guitarist's footrest under the right foot to help hold the barbat.
(or saz
) or sitar
technique, using the first and second fingers for as much as possible, with less use of the third and little use of the fourth fingers. Hakki Obadia taught a mixed fingering system that uses finger 1 for several notes, finger 2 for some but not all strings and finger 3, not using finger 4.
One other facet of left hand usage is the employment of the fingernail to help stop the string, giving a clearer tone and more pronounced ornaments than use of the fleshy tips alone. This is common to several other fretless instrument, among them the sarod, shamisen and san-xien.
Variations can be obtained by cutting a new tip on the thinner ones a bit further back where the plastic is a little thicker, adding volume to the attack. The rounded ones can be cut to a pointer shape and thinned a fraction with fine sandpaper adding nuance to the heavier attack produced by this pick. Both kinds are made double-ended from the factory, so one end can be left original and the other end customized, the player using the appropriate end for the musical need.
The materials of barbat
Unpieced body: In this way a log is cut in two pieces. On one of the model of a Barbat is drawn, then the half log would be scraped by the model from inside and outside. Then it will be left to be dried.
Pieced body: In this way some pieces of walnut or mulberry wood are cut and boiled in hot water. These sheets should have the thickness of 2 -3 mm. When they are flexible they are put in a metal shape by the shape of crescent. After they dry, they will be glued and joint each other. Then the neck and the top sheet will be joint.
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
of ancient Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
origin. The Arabic Oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
is derived from an ancient Persian barbat. Today's barbat, however, is essentially the same thing as today's oud: the instrument is often called the barbat when played in a Persian tradition, while called the oud when played in an Arabic tradition.
History
The barbat originated in Persia in ancient times, and was refined during the ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
age into its current form, called the oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
. After the tanbur
Tanbur
The term tanbūr can refer to various long-necked, fretted lutes originating in the Middle East or Central Asia. According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "terminology presents a complicated situation. Nowadays the term tanbur is applied to a variety of distinct and related...
, it is the oldest string instrument in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. In 800 B.C. a kind of barbat was used. In some books the invention of this instrument is ascribed to Barbad
Barbad
Barbad or Barbad the Jahromi was a Persian musician of the Sassanid era, who lived during the rule of Khosrau II, 590 to 628..- Etymology :...
. As it is told in some books, the reason to name this instrument Barbat is that this name is the Arabic form of Barbad, but in some other books it is told that bat means "chest," so the similarity between the form of a barbat and the chest of a drake
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
is the other reason for its name. The most famous barbat player in history was Barbad
Barbad
Barbad or Barbad the Jahromi was a Persian musician of the Sassanid era, who lived during the rule of Khosrau II, 590 to 628..- Etymology :...
.
After Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
's takeover of Iran, this instrument was taken to Arabia and after a while it came back to Iran in a changed form. When Islamic culture penetrated into Europe, this instrument was used is some parts with different names. For example, in Italy it was called lotto, in France loth, in Portugal aland, and in Spain loud. The instrument was abolished in Safavid period for an unknown reason (perhaps due to religious fanaticism), even until recent decades.
It is likely that the earliest oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
s were carved from a solid piece of wood. By the time of the Moorish period in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the body was in its characteristic staved wood vaulted back design. In fact, this staved wood may be the namesake for the oud as the word means "wood" or "flexible stick," and the top was made of wood, as opposed to the skin of the earlier lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
s, and the vaulted back that provided the model for the European lute and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
was constructed from many steam-bent "flexible sticks" unlike the Persian barbat, which was carved out of a single piece of wood and may have been the original model for the oud. Also, as one can see in the images, after the barbat was taken to the Arab world, the body became larger and the neck got shorter.
Holding the barbat
The barbat is held similar to a guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, but care must be taken to have the face vertical so that it is not visible to the player, and to support the weight with the thigh and right arm so that the left hand is free to move around the fingerboard. Note the idiosyncratic manner of holding the mizrab (Turkish) or risha (Arabic, lit. "feather") or pick; although it seems awkward it is in reality easier than a conventional flatpick and gives the "right" tonal shading to the plucked note.
In all matters of holding and playing it is recommended that the player use only the muscles needed for any musical task and to relax as much as possible, using only as much force as is necessary. This will allow one to play longer, easier and to put the effort into creativity rather than mechanics. In the past many players sat cross-legged on a rug, but now most perform sitting, often using a classical guitarist's footrest under the right foot to help hold the barbat.
Basic fingering
Two methods of left hand fingering are in current usage. The older, more traditional Classical Arabic approach uses all four fingers for stopping the strings, one for each semitone much as a guitarist; alternatively, some play with a style more akin to baglamaBaglama
thumb|180px|Cura and bağlamaThe bağlama is a stringed musical instrument shared by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Central Asia....
(or saz
Baglama
thumb|180px|Cura and bağlamaThe bağlama is a stringed musical instrument shared by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Central Asia....
) or sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
technique, using the first and second fingers for as much as possible, with less use of the third and little use of the fourth fingers. Hakki Obadia taught a mixed fingering system that uses finger 1 for several notes, finger 2 for some but not all strings and finger 3, not using finger 4.
One other facet of left hand usage is the employment of the fingernail to help stop the string, giving a clearer tone and more pronounced ornaments than use of the fleshy tips alone. This is common to several other fretless instrument, among them the sarod, shamisen and san-xien.
Right hand-the misrap or risha
As mentioned the right hand employs a special method for holding the quill-inspired pick called risha in Arabic and mizrab in Turkish. The long flexible pick puts the wrist at a particular angle and adds a certain tonal color to the sound. The traditional material was an eagle quill, but this is not practical; plastic makes a more durable and standard material for the risha. Players have used things like collar stays, plastic pieces from hardware stores, cut-up plastic bottles ( this worked better with the old heavyweight containers), and of course the Turkish manufactured models. These come in a thin, more-or-less pointed tip style made of lighter gauge translucent plastic and a round tip model made of heavier white opaque stock. The thinner ones are lovely sounding and play very delicately with subtle nuances; the heavier ones play very loud.Variations can be obtained by cutting a new tip on the thinner ones a bit further back where the plastic is a little thicker, adding volume to the attack. The rounded ones can be cut to a pointer shape and thinned a fraction with fine sandpaper adding nuance to the heavier attack produced by this pick. Both kinds are made double-ended from the factory, so one end can be left original and the other end customized, the player using the appropriate end for the musical need.
Body
The barbat's body contains three major parts:- Resonating body: It is like a pear and it is the biggest resonating body in comparison with other bodies. There are three sound holes and lattices on its body, one bigger than two others.
- Finger Board: It doesn’t have frets and it’s very small.
- Bent-back peg box: There is a great angle between the fingerboard and the bent-back peg box and this is very important. For it has several tuning pegs if the bent-back peg box is weak, the instrument won’t be tuned very well.
The materials of barbat
- Resonating body: Walnut or maple.
- String fastener: Boxwood.
- Top sheet: Deal
- Neck: Walnut
- Nut: Bone or plastic
- Bent-back peg box: Walnut
- Pegs: Walnut or ebony
- Lattices of hole: Walnut
How to make barbat's resonating body
The resonating body can be made in two ways:Unpieced body: In this way a log is cut in two pieces. On one of the model of a Barbat is drawn, then the half log would be scraped by the model from inside and outside. Then it will be left to be dried.
Pieced body: In this way some pieces of walnut or mulberry wood are cut and boiled in hot water. These sheets should have the thickness of 2 -3 mm. When they are flexible they are put in a metal shape by the shape of crescent. After they dry, they will be glued and joint each other. Then the neck and the top sheet will be joint.
External links
Listening
- dejkam.com (Ude)
- tebyan.net (Ude)
- barbat.us (Barbat)
- barbat.us (Barbat & TonbakTonbakThe tonbak or zarb is a goblet drum from Persia . It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music...
) - barbat.us (Barbat & TonbakTonbakThe tonbak or zarb is a goblet drum from Persia . It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music...
& DafDafA daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
) - barbat.us (Barbat & TonbakTonbakThe tonbak or zarb is a goblet drum from Persia . It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music...
&DafDafA daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
) - barbat.us (Barbat & TonbakTonbakThe tonbak or zarb is a goblet drum from Persia . It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music...
&DafDafA daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
)