Baglama



	Instrument of the lute family. The Greek baglama is the smallest instrument of the bouzouki family. However, in the Turkish instrumentarium baglama refers to a much larger instrument of this family. The baglama in Greece is a very popular instrument, and has been linked in the past with the traditional Greek music, but also with the Rebetiko music, that flourished between the periods 1920's and 1950's, in the urban and rural parts of Greece. Baglama has three double sets of strings, tuned D-A-D, of which the lowest set of D is tuned an octave apart ( D-d ) and the other two sets of strings are tuned in unison. Instruments of this family primarily were constructed by hollowing their resonator from a solid piece of wood, and at a later time were constructed with staves, but have kept the same outline, which is pear-shaped. In the old days the neck and peg-box were made from one piece of wood and the strings were tuned by the pegs. Now days, the neck and the head are made of two separate pieces of wood, and the head caries modern machine-heads similar to mandolin. The fretboard usually is made of ebony, the frets are metallic, and for their division the equal-temperament is applied. The baglamas role in modern Greek music, is that of simple accompaniment to the bouzouki, by playing either the same melodic line as the bouzouki, an octave higher, or providing the rhythmical patterns.




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