It always amazes me how little I know about this world. My curiousity got the best of me again. There is an instrument that is a cross between a ukulele and a mandolin and it has three strings. The triangular "balalaika" was on my mind in today's YouTube searches. I have seen typical 3-string and double up 6-strings. It is a Russian instrument from sometime around 1717 A.D. Steven Strauss told me that he thinks that the Bass Balalaika has become the most popular. This quartet is quite amazing. I'm enjoying seeing the similarities in the strumming techniques to the ukulele. It's like the UOGB...
Here's the James Hill mixed with Jake Shimabukuro, Aleksei Arkhipovsky, of the Balalaika. This man has lightning quick fingers. Faster, faster, faster.... WOW!
And Roy Smeck showmanship...
THIS VIDEO IS 10mins LONG -- DO NOT MISS IT!
HERE's some detailed information about Balalaika tuning and several songs. The thumb is used quite frequently in the chord shapes http://www.kaikracht.de/balalaika/english/school/school.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment