Duduk & Qanun

The Armenian duduk is one of the oldest double reed instruments in the world. Over the centuries, the duduk has traveled to many neighboring countries and undergone subtle changes, such as its specific tuning and number of holes. Today, variations of the duduk can be found in Georgia (duduki), Azerbaijan (balaban), Turkey (mey), Persia and the Balkans. The basic form has changed little in its long history. Originally, like many early flutes, the instrument was made of bone. Today, the body is made of apricot wood. The duduk is a deceptively simple instrument. Its range is an octave and a quarter. It is untempered and diatonic and available in several keys. The duduk's velvety, melancholy sound and wide dynamic range have made it popular for a variety of musical genres. Traditionally, it is played in small ensembles, often in duet with frame drums such as the daf, in lyrical songs and dances. Today, it is also played in larger professional ensembles and in urban clubs.

The qanun is a plucked zither with a flat trapezoidal body. It has 75 strings arranged so that three strings are plucked simultaneously to produce one pitch (similar to the piano). The player uses both hands to pluck the strings with picks. The left hand also manipulates a set of switches that pull the strings to change the pitch. These switches (mandal in Turkish) allow micro-intervals to be obtained with great precision, enabling the wide variety of non-tempered tunings used in Near Eastern music. Qanun players also use the switches to create beautifully decorated melodies that mimic the sound of the human voice. The qanun is a classical instrument of the Arab world, described extensively in both oral and written traditions. Like other instruments of the Islamic world, including the ney and daira, it is played in the improvisational musical tradition known as maqam or makam.