This eBook was created through the collaboration of teachers and students from Portugal, Turkey, and Ukraine. Together, we worked on our project — Be GREAT (Get Really Excited About Traditions) — with the shared goal of exploring and celebrating our cultures.

In this edition, we focus on traditional musical instruments from our countries. Each one has a unique story, sound, and meaning, and we are excited to share them with you.

We hope you enjoy discovering these beautiful traditions as much as we enjoyed learning and working on them together!

Preview audio:

storyj.mp/afcej9k6wkuy

TURKISH

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Made by Gümüşhane High School Students

TRADITIONAL

The saz, which is used in many types of music, especially Turkish folk music, has survived to the present day in the form of the kopuz, one of the oldest instruments of the Turks. It is played by striking the strings with a plectrum made of cherry tree bark called Tezene. The vessel is carved from a log and is pear-shaped. Today, the bağlama is used all over the country, especially in Anatolia, as a cultural product and as a musical instrument that expresses the most burning melodies.

Gümüşhane High School

Baglama

The kopuz is a stringed instrument with deep roots in Turkish and Central Asian musical culture. Its history dates back to the early Turkic tribes of Central Asia, and it has been used in various forms by these tribes for centuries. The kopuz is considered the ancestor of the bağlama and is still used in various forms in Turkey and Central Asia today.

Gümüşhane High School

Kopuz

The kemancha is a bowed stringed musical instrument that has garnered widespread use in diverse regions of the world, such as Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, and Central Asia. It holds the distinction of being one of the most ancient bowed stringed instruments, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages.

Gümüşhane High School

Kemancha

The kaval is a chromatic end-blown oblique flute traditionally played throughout the Balkans (in Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Southern Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Northern Greece, and elsewhere)[and Anatolia (including Turkey and Armenia).The kaval is primarily associated with mountain shepherds.

Gümüşhane High School

Kaval

The history of the def dates back to ancient times. Figures holding a def have been found in archaeological excavations in Mesopotamia and elsewhere. Defs are usually round, but there are also angular ones. The def is a strumming instrument in Turkish music.

Gümüşhane High School

Def

The kabak kemane is the only example of stringed, bowed and leather-covered instruments in Turkish folk music. Its origin dates back to Central Asia. The instrument, called Gijek by Central Asian Turkmens and used in Azerbaijani folk music under the name Kemança, has the same origin. It is a two or three-stringed folk instrument with a body made of gourd or coconut and a leather chest. It differs according to the regions.

Gümüşhane High School

Kabak Kemane

ŞENTEPE ORTAOKULU

SELECTING TRADITIONAL MUSİCAL

İNSTRUMENTS

Darbuka

The darbuka is a percussion instrument. Usually made of a single piece of metal or various types of wood and usually covered with leather on the top.

UKRAINIAN TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Kobza

The kobza is one of the oldest Ukrainian string instruments. It was played by kobzars and has a deep, melodic sound. Closely tied to Ukrainian history and traditions, the kobza was especially popular during the Cossack era.

Bandura

The bandura is a plucked string instrument and a symbol of the Ukrainian people. It combines features of the lute and the harp. Kobzars used to play the bandura to perform historical songs and ballads. Today, it is heard in both folk and modern music.

Trembita

The trembita is a traditional Hutsul wind instrument made of wood. It can be several meters long. Its loud sound was used by shepherds to communicate across the mountains. The trembita is an important part of Carpathian musical culture.

Sopilka

The sopilka is a Ukrainian folk wind instrument made of wood. It produces a pleasant, melodic sound. It was used in folk rituals, dances, and songs. Although simple in design, the sopilka offers a rich and expressive tone.

PORTUGUESE

TRADITIONAL

MUSICAL

INSTRUMENTS

CAVAQUINHO

The cavaquinho originated in Portugal on the 15th century and is part of the chordophone family ( stringed instruments ). It was widely used in Portuguese popular music and was taken to various parts of the world by Portuguese sailors.

Origin of the Cavaquinho

Characteristics of the cavaquinho

- It usually has four steel strings.

- It can be played with a pick or with the fingers.

- It usually has gut or nylon strings and different tunings.

Characteristics of the Cavaquinho

GUITARRA

PORTUGUESA

The Portuguese guitar is a stringed instrument with a rich history and a distinctive sound.

Characteristics
Structure: It has a pear-shaped soundboard.
It has 12 steel strings arranged in six pairs.
It is traditionally played with the fingernails.
Sound
It has a bright, piercing sound. It is known for its ability to express emotion, especially in fado.

There are two main models: the Lisbon model and the Coimbra model, which differ in size and construction.

The origins of the Portuguese guitar date back to the Middle Ages, possibly derived from the cythola. In the 19th century, the instrument evolved into the form we know today, with six pairs of strings.
The Portuguese guitar became a fundamental instrument in fado, a Portuguese musical genre that expresses deep emotions.
Today, the Portuguese guitar is a symbol of Portuguese culture and is appreciated all over the world.

Brief history

CONCERTINA

The concertina is a keyboard musical instrument that is part of the aerophone family and is quite similar to the accordion, but with some notable differences.
In Portugal, the concertina has a strong connection with its rural traditions and popular music, being a symbol of cultural resistance, and continues to be valued and played in various regions to this day.

The concertina arrived in Portugal around the end of the 19th century, initially being more popular in rural areas.

Characteristics of the Concertina

Its sound is characteristically bright and cheerful, with a strong timbre. It is widely used in folk music, especially in traditional and popular music.There are different types of concertina, such as those with 20, 30 or more buttons, depending on the number of notes and the desired sound range.

GAITA DE FOLES

TRANSMONTANA

Brief history

The gaita transmontana is a traditional Portuguese musical instrument with distinct sound and construction characteristics, deeply rooted in the history and culture of the Trás-os-Montes region.

Characteristics of the Gaita Transmontana

Traditional music played on the gaita transmontana often incorporates particular melodic ornamentations, which highlight the expressive character of the instrument.

Traditionally, they are made from local woods such as boxwood, ash or chestnut, which influences the resonance and timbre.

Its unmistakable sound and rich history continue to enchant and inspire new generations.

TÜRKİYE

TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

T.EMLAK BANKASI ORTAOKULU ANKARA /TÜRKİYE

sİBEL AKBULUT

KEMENÇE

The name kemençe is actually shared by two different stringed instruments, one used in Ottoman music and the other in the folk music of the Black Sea region. Until the mid-20th century, the first of these was known as the ‘armudu’ (pear) or ‘fasıl’ kemençe, but these have now been replaced by the ‘classical kemençe’. The second is more of a folk instrument and is known as the Black Sea kemençe.

DAVUL

The drum is one of the most common percussion instruments and has a place in the cultures of almost all peoples in the world.

The drum is one of the simplest instruments and consists of two basic parts. One of these is the hoop, which resembles a pipe or cylinder. The hoop can be wooden or metal. The second is a thin calfskin or similar flexible material stretched over one or both sides of the body. This stretched material is called the "drum skin".

The drum is played by hitting the skin with the hand or a stick. This stick is also called the "drum mallet".

The Zurna: A Special Instrument in Turkish Music and Culture

The zurna is not only used in Turkey. You can also find similar instruments in countries like Azerbaijan, Iran, Armenia, and parts of the Balkans. But in Turkey, it has a special place in folk music and traditional life. Each region of Turkey has a slightly different way of playing the zurna. For example, in some areas the sound is more sharp, while in others it is softer and slower. These regional styles show how rich and diverse Turkish culture is.

Even today, many young people learn to play the zurna from older family members. Although electronic music and modern styles are popular now, traditional music with the zurna is still very much alive. Some musicians even mix zurna sounds with modern instruments like guitar or keyboard to create new music styles. This helps keep the tradition alive while also sharing it with the world. The zurna is more than just a musical instrument. It is a symbol of Turkish heritage, celebration, and community spirit. When the zurna plays, people come together — to dance celebrate,and to remember their shared culture.

TULUM

In Turkish, tulum means “leather cap”. It was first identified in the Khakass Dialect in the form of “tulug” before the 13th century. However, in Laz language, tulum was called “guda”, meaning goat skin. Based on this, tulum took its name from the goat skin that forms the body part.

Although there is no comprehensive historical research on the emergence of the tulum, there is partially estimated information about this subject in various magazines, books and articles about the tulum. Interviews were conducted with master tulum players and horon players who lived in the Çamlıhemşin-Hemşin region culture circle regarding the origin of the tulum instrument, which is the subject of our research. When these interviews and previously written articles are taken into consideration; in addition to those who think that the tulum came to the Black Sea lands from Central Asia, there are also those who think that this instrument is a very primitive instrument and that it was shaped especially in the Çamlıhemşin and Hemşin culture circle in the Black Sea region.

CURA

Cura is one of the Yoruk folk instruments. This instrument, which is frequently used by Mediterranean bards, is about 55-60 cm long and is the smallest instrument of the bağlama family. Cura usually has six, five, four or three strings. There are also two-string curas. The lower string of these curas is tuned to the sound of "la" and the upper string to the sound of "re". The depth of the body and the chest width of the curas are around 15 cm. Their neck length is about 40 cm. In four-string curas, the upper string is the harmony string. The other strings are tuned to the sound of this harmony string.

The sound of the bağlama, which is tuned to an octave higher, becomes apparent among the other instruments and adds movement and color to the melody. It is an instrument suitable for the agile and dynamic playing of folk songs. Curas have different names depending on their size. The ones that are a little bigger than the cura are called "cura bağlama". The cura bağlama, which has a deeper sound than the cura, is the most commonly used type of cura.

Şuhut Şehit İbrahim IMIŞ High School

Musicial Instruments of TÜRKİYE

The ney is a type of end-blown flute made from reed and is commonly used in the classical and spiritual music.The ney has a deep, soulful tone and is often associated with Sufi music, particularly the Mevlevi (whirling dervishes) tradition in Turkey.

ŞEHİT PİYADE KURMAY YARBAY İLKER ÇELİKCAN

SECONDARY SCHOOL - Teacher: Işıl GÜLMEZ