Well, it’s about time the shamisen goes global. After centuries of play in Japan, the shamisen is simply too brilliant of an instrument to keep locked up much longer. The fretless 3 string instrument is considered to be the Japanese cousin of the American banjo, and while the similarities are clear, the Eastern sound remains with the shamisen wherever it is played.

Here to demonstrate the point are Mike Penny and Kevin Kmetz who met up in California last summer (2010) for a spontaneous shamisen improv. So sit back and watch these two dudes kick it, then Click Here to see another piece of instrumental world music.

National instrument of Finland, the kantele is part of a family of zithers known as the Baltic psalteries.  This string instrument has been around for thousands of years, but it was not until the 19th century that it really gained legendary status.  As Finland was struggling for independence, a story of the kantele was fashioned from Finnic myth and folklore.

This epic poem known as The Kalevela tells the story of a mage who makes the first kantele from the jawbone of a giant fish and the hairs of a stallion.  With his magical instrument he goes into the forest and plays such beautiful music that creatures from all around come to listen in wonder.  By 1917 The Kalevela had played a large role in developing national identity and ultimately helped Finland establish independence from Russia.

After the video Click Here to see another piece of world music.

Usually played in a group with many drummers, the taiko does not often find itself alongside a string instrument.  But if this video is any indication, perhaps the two should be played together a little more often.

Typically an ensemble with many drummers each playing one drum, the taiko always makes for a performance of immense power.  Now in this case the drummer stands behind an entire set of taiko drums and lays down the rhythm for the shamisen.

After the video Click Here to see more instrumental music.

With a full arrangement of Chinese instruments, this piece captures the Eastern spirit as well as any recorded. Just listen to the erhu on center stage, accompanied by the pipa (Chinese guitar) and gu zheng (zither), among others.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Chinese music is that it is primarily a feminine art. Whereas the rest of the world is mostly driven by repetitive rhythms and other bold masculine themes, the subtle texture of Chinese music is as expressive as it is reserved…

Balance.
The perfect state of equilibrium.

So once you’ve appreciated this special piece of music, Click Here to see another world music video.

Sometimes music is made from finely tuned instruments, other times it is thrown together using scraps just found throughout the house. The latter method is the one preferred by instrument maker Diego Stocco.

A truly unique creation, the Bassoforte is the product of scraps from an electric bass, pickups from an old guitar, a cabinet handle and of course, a chimney cap. Amazingly, Diego Stocco finds a way to make some remarkable music from a pile of junk. Brilliant!! After the video Click Here to check out the Shamisen, string instrument of Japan.

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, Click Here to check out the theremin, an unusual instrument that is truly one of a kind.

When Japanese strings meet western stylings, the Yoshida Brothers show what it is to rock the shamisen. After the video click here to check out the shamisen solo.

Instrument of the ancient world, popular throughout Egypt, Israel and Greece, the lyre carries a distinct sound that tends to mesmerize the musician and listener alike. This video is one of many posted regularly on youtube channel Klezfiddle1.

After the video, Click Here to view another world instrument.

The mystical sound of the Chinese gu zheng is truly creative and sure to entertain music-lovers all the world over. After the video Click Here to check out the yangqin, another Chinese string instrument.

What makes the Chapman Stick a unique musical instrument is not that it produces any kind of original sound, but that it plays the part of two different instruments at once. The Stick, as it is commonly referred to by its players, comes with anywhere from eight to twelve strings, but most typically with ten… six for the part of the guitar and four for the bass.

Unlike either the guitar or bass, the Stick is designed to be played not by strumming or plucking but by hammering notes on the fretboard, so both hands may be involved in playing notes and the two parts may be played simultaneously.

After watching the video, Click Here to check out a unique instrumental world band.