Popular Traditional Music Instruments of Different Countries

By Lili Gomes @_roselili

Uganda

Enanga: Movable rings get the perfect sound on enanga, which are placed just beneath the tuning pegs. Strings vibrate against the rings and a buzzing sound is produced. This sound is even heard on some lyres & sansa. Strings on the instrument are basically arranged in a progressive manner from high to the low note. 1St , 2nd and 3rd strings from the octaves with n 6th, 7th and 8th strings respectively. Nowadays, the instrument is known as adungu and used widely in Protestant and Catholic rural churches.

Engalabi: Traditional Fumbo has a reptile skin nailed to wood. But the Uganda government because of the environmental reasons has discouraged this specific practice for long. This musical instrument from Buganda that is played in the music theatres plays a vital role in ceremony known as Okwabya olumbe. It is the installation of successor to deceased, thus the great saying in Lugansa ‘Tugenda mungalabi’, which means we are going to engalabi, which is, a long drum. It is with bare hands that this long drum is played.

Ireland

Accordion: An accordion is an instrument that’s played by stretching as well as squeezing with hands to work the central bellows, which blows the air over the metal reeds, melody and chords, which are in fact sounded by the keys or buttons. It is an instrument, which is available for sale in the country nowadays especially for beginners. So, accordions in Ireland are in high demand today.

Irish fiddle: This is the most popular instrument in traditional repetoire of Irish music. It is identical to violin bit is played differently in varying regional styles.

Korea

Gayageum: This is the most popular Korean traditional instrument. It has a clear & graceful sound and is quite easy to learn as well. While playing it, the left hand presses the strings that are below the anjok and the right hand basically plucks or strums the strings above the bridge. The different kinds of gayageum include pungnyu gayageum from Silla Era and sanjo gayageum that’s used in folk music.

Bak: Bak is generally a clapper that’s made up of 6 pieces of solid birch held together by leather cord. These 6 pieces are separated slightly and then struck together for producing a loud clapping sound. Person who plays the bak is called jipbak and at the same time plays the role of conductor. Bak is specifically used to signal the commencement as well as the end of an orchestral music, ritual music and ensemble music. It is even used for indicating a change in rhythm, movements or formation in court dance.