Directory of Irish Bouzouki Resources

Home > Arts > Music > Instruments > Stringed > Cittern > Irish Bouzouki

In the late 1960s the bouzouki was adopted by traditional musicians such as Johnny Moynihan and Donal Lunny who were involved in the folk revival in Ireland. It has become one of the most important instruments used to accompany Irish traditional music.

As the bouzouki came to be "acquired", its construction was modified to allow players to play standing up, and has a shorter neck and a flat back. A variety of tunings are used, the most popular being g–d'–a'–d''.

They are double strung - with varying numbers of strings.

• instruments with 5 courses (pairs of strings) are often referred to as Citterns (a name "borrowed" from a Renaissance family of instruments);
• instruments with 4 courses are often referred to as Irish Bouzoukis;
• other closely related instruments include the mandola and octave mandolin;
• some makers have created further hybrids - combining elements of the guitar and the bouzouki, for example.

Subcategories

• Bands and Artists
• Shopping

Resources in This Category

• Celtic Guitar

  http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/celtic_guitar.html
  Article on the use of guitar and bouzouki/cittern in Celtic music, by Cliff McGann (originally published in Celtic Heritage); includes notes on significant performers.

• Cittern

  http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/cittern/
  A Yahoo! group to discuss citterns, bouzoukis and related instruments; covers the instruments, makers, and playing techniques.

• Citterns 'n Stuff

  http://www.xs4all.nl/~cittern/
  An enthusiast for citterns, bouzoukis, other mandolin-like instruments, and their music; maintains a database of categorised links.

• Han's Irish Bouzouki Homepage

  http://www.xs4all.nl/~hspeek/bouzouki/
  Resource for learners and players. Includes information on tuning, tablature, pictures, recommended books and listening.

• How to Tell Mandolins, Citterns, Mandolas, Bouzoukis, etc. Apart

  http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/cittern.html
  Describes the differences in construction and tuning in this group of instruments.

• Irish Bouzouki

  http://banwarth.free.fr/engbouz.htm
  An article on the instrument in Irish music; includes tunings, tabs, practical tips, and links.

• Kennaquhair Stringed Instruments

  http://www.kennaquhair.com/
  Luthier specializing in cittern, bouzouki, and other mandolin family instruments; also make acoustic guitars. Includes information on instruments, items in stock and pricing.

• The instruments of celtic music

  http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/
  An article about the Irish Bouzouki and its history and related music.

Related Categories

• Home > Arts > Music > Instruments > Stringed > Bouzouki
• Home > Arts > Music > Styles > R > Regional and Ethnic > Celtic

 

Home > Arts > Music > Instruments > Stringed > Cittern > Irish Bouzouki

 

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