South American Quena y Charango

Bamboo flute of the Andes mountains in South America, the quena is seen here with the charango, a small lute resembling a ukulele but with 10 strings.  After this South American instrumental, Click Here to see the North American Native flute, alongside the hang drum.

Hang Insomniac Jam

When it comes to music, surely it is the hang drum that is the greatest invention of the century to date. Being that there are only a few thousand of these lap-sized metal discs making their way around the world, it is always remarkable seeing them in the hands of two quality musicians at once. Not that the hang isn’t amazing by itself, but with twice as many hands for melody and rhythm, the variety is just that much greater.

After the video, Click Here to check out what the hang drum sounds like next to the Native American flute as played by Jeff Ball.

Mexican Marimba

Few instruments exist in as many different forms throughout the world as the marimba. Originally from Africa, the marimba made it’s way to Central America and Mexico hundreds of years ago. Every kind of marimba produces its own unique sound, but it is the distinct buzzing quality of the Mexican marimba that sets it apart from others.

After the video, Click Here to check out another wooden percussion instrument, the tongue drum.

King Davids Lyre

Throughout history, the lyre has existed within many cultures in different forms, but perhaps the most influential has been the 10 string lyre of ancient Israel known as the kinnor. Mentioned several times in the Bible, King David is known for having played the kinnor in worship of the Lord, and in casting away evil spirits.

Here is another video from Michael Levy, known as Klezfiddle1 on youtube. After the video, visit Michael’s website where you can listen to many free samples and check out his 10 albums available for download. Then click here to view another performance of his, this time on a slightly different lyre.

A Taste of Turkey

Today the saz is a popular string instrument found all throughout Turkey, but it’s importance is even greater to history than simply its role in modern music. This long-necked lute has been a central component of Turkish folk music for centuries and is an ancestor of the Greek bouzouki.

After the video, click here to check out the oud, common string instrument of Middle-Eastern music.