Celtic bouzouki

[Squeech]

Originally the bouzouki was a long-necked lute from Greece and Turkey. It has a bulbous body, like those mandolins you see over people's mantelpieces, and four pairs of strings (sometimes only three).

A generation or so ago, an Irish musician named Andy Irvine went on vacation and heard the bouzouki, and was charmed by it. He acquired one and tuned it like the mandolin, which he already played, and thereby adapted it to the Celtic repertoire. When he came back and started playing it (especially with his new band Planxty) it became hugely popular, and it is now an important ensemble instrument.

A couple years back I bought a project guitar at a yard sale for $5. It was missing the bridge and tailpiece, so I figured it would be ideal to convert to a bouzouki: add two more tuning pegs to the underside of the headstock, and replace the missing bits (and the nut) with parts engineered for four pairs of strings. I never got around to it myself, and at the end of the year I finally turned the project over to Jim Mouradian, the amazing guitar tech who works upstairs from Cambridge Music. I got it back a couple weeks ago, and I think it's way cool.

The tuning, from the bottom up, is G-D-A-E, an octave below the equivalent strings on the mandolin-- indeed, one of the alternate names for this instrument is "octave mandolin." (Some players also call it a "cittern," after a medieval troubadour instrument.) The G and D pairs are in octaves, like the lower strings of a 12-string guitar. As you may imagine, it strongly gravitates to the key of D, and G and A are also notably easier than other keys. It's also really suitable for Celtic dance music-- not as lithe as fiddle nor as earthy as bagpipes, but in a register that allows it to hold its own as a solo instrument, especially with the octave strings ringing away. I've been furiously shedding the jig/reel/hornpipe/strathspey repertoire on it. I've also been trying (because I live to thwart expectations :evilgrin:) to adapt non-Celtic material, and now I can fumble my way through the Beatles' "And I Love Her," the Police's "Every Breath You Take," and Green Day's "Good Riddance."

My new year's resolution is to build a Myspace page featuring it, with recordings and photos.

[stellanoir]

1. hmmmmm

Even after your detailed explanation of its semi obtuse origin, I can't help but wonder if "Celtic bouzouki" isn't still a complete oxymoron.

Glad you have a new plaything though. :)

[regnaD kciN]

2. If you've played at Celtic sessions...

...you'll discover that "Celtic Bouzouki" is far from an oxymoron -- you'll generally find at least one player there.

[Squeech]

3. Long time

since I've played serious Celtic sessions-- like 30 years, and there weren't any Celtic bouzoukis around at the time. I'm pleased they're getting more popular; I'm having more fun with this thing...

Actually I'm playing more music outside the Celtic envelope now. Last tune I arranged was "Lucifer Sam," an early Pink Floyd tune written by Syd Barrett. (But in front of people I do play mainly the Celtic repertoire-- I performed at a house party on Saturday and did "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson and the slip jig "An Phis Fhliuch," which Thompson recorded as "The Choice Wife.")

Turns out the appellation "cittern" is historically justified. I ran into a page called "Netserf," an Internet catalog of middle ages web resources, and according to the medieval music pages they link to, the historical cittern did have double strings on a long neck and was tuned in fifths.

On edit: no MySpace page yet, because I'm a lazy sod. But watch this space for further developments.

[east texas lib]

4. Celtic Music

Although I have no experience on the instrument you have described in your post,
I find your description of it's possible applications intriguing, to say the
least. Having only seen Celtic music performed on PBS, I am not at all familiar
with the genre. In the home which I now live, the previous occupants were kind
enough to leave me 50 or so vinyl record albums, among them being one entitled:
"The Nine Maidens" by a gentleman by the name of John Renbourn. The album was
released in 1985 on the Transatlantic label. Cuts included are: 1.New Nothynge,
2.The Fish In The Well,3.Pavan d'Aragon,4.Variations On My Lady Carey's Dompe,
5.Circle Dance and The Nine Maidens, parts a. Clarsach, b. The Nine Maidens and
c. The Fiddler. Muscicians include Mr.Renbourn, Remy Froissart, Toby Pedley,
Tony Roberts,Jeff Merrell, Joe Tancock, Ben Burrow and Jules Diggle. The album
features excellent muscicianship, with songs whose origins date back centuries.
Although I play a different set of musical genres, I attempt to expose myself to
as many styles as I can( my chosen instument is the electric bass). I believe
you might find the album rather enjoyable if you can obtain a copy.
Music truly is a universal language! Best Wishes!