What is the most difficult string instrument to play?

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 20 Jun 2010 10:17 am

It seems as thought players of bowed instruments get the most recognition. I don't think steel guitar is recognized as a "legit" instrument among "legit" players. I could be wrong though.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 20 Jun 2010 10:24 am

CORRECTLY and in tune? Oud, Kanun, and Saz.
MLA

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 20 Jun 2010 11:02 am

Thank you,but I'm not familiar with those instruments.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 20 Jun 2010 2:22 pm

The Oud, 11 strings, 5 double course, nylon, fretless, violin tuning pegs...

The Saz, three to nine strings in single, double, or triple courses depending on size and type, tied quarter-tone frets and friction pegs...

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 20 Jun 2010 2:25 pm

The Kanun (Qanun, Kanonaki), 78 strings in unison-tuned triple courses, nylon, with quarter-tone and eighth-tone sharping levers...

Nicholai Steindler · Post by **Nicholai Steindler** » 20 Jun 2010 5:13 pm

Michael Lee Allen wrote:The Kanun (Qanun, Kanonaki), 78 strings in unison-tuned triple courses, nylon, with quarter-tone and eighth-tone sharping levers...

I own one of these, I think. I don't think mine has leversand you play it with little hammers? Mine has metal strings too. Can you help me with tunings?

it might be a slightly different instrument obviously same origin. It was my grandfather's.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 20 Jun 2010 5:28 pm

Nicholai...
You probably have a Cimbalom or some kind of Psaltry. The kanun is generally a Turkish, Arabic, or Armenian instrument that is sometimes used in Greek, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Assyrian, and Kurdish music. There's no "scale reference" in the photo but the long back edge is 41" long. A picture of what you've got will ID it.
MLA

Nicholai Steindler · Post by **Nicholai Steindler** » 20 Jun 2010 5:43 pm

this is definitely interesting. I don't think it's either of those actually or the Kanun. It appears to be a shape of the one you posted but it's played like the Cimbalom, but with much smaller hammers and the body is much smaller, it appears to be the size of the one you posted and shape. They hammers are about the size of your finger. I believe the strings are groupings of four or five. I guess it's kind of a hammer dulcimer and I'm pretty sure it comes from Poland, which I think makes it a Cimbalom, but it's a strange one then. I would take a picture but it is at my parents house, and they are out of the country for a bit so we will have to get back to this sometime if we don't figure it out. It's a great instrument, I treasure it, I hope my mom's storing it right.

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 20 Jun 2010 5:59 pm

That's interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 20 Jun 2010 7:55 pm

I'd say a "Zinger".

Hard to keep your thumb in the thumbpick and accurately roll the bar with proper intonation while you strum the autoharp like strings...

There is a hilarious website that comes up with "Obscure Musical INstruments" including a "Petard", and a "Lympet"..

I've heered a double contra viol is no piece of cake, but then I've never been at a gig where I was asked to play one.

EJL

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 21 Jun 2010 4:27 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caWzkQ7oVR0

I actually think they're all pretty "hard", depending on where you want to go with it and what you like. Every great musician I ever heard of went through at least a few years of twelve-hour-a-day practice, but then they still practice six hours a day? And it's not "hard" to them, they just can't help it.

If you can really, objectively rate & compare how "hard" Andre Segovia had to work vs. how "hard" Chris Thile, Buddy Emmons, Ravi Shankar, and Itzak Perlman had to work to make an adequate noise, you've got amazing patience.

I did find I was a much better fretless bass player & slide guitarist after I returned to them after several years on the pedal steel, some things are additive. Like theory & intonation, maybe. But I didn't used to want an afternoon nap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSZ40V0t ... PL&index=0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHmh1yZh ... re=related

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 21 Jun 2010 7:22 am

My vote goes to the "Swine-a-phone".

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 21 Jun 2010 8:28 am

I can tell you first hand, this is the instrument I have had the hardest time learning to play correctly.
Here is a master:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRNcXWa9rvo&NR=1

Maybe in 30 years I can have chops like this guy....

Jay

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 21 Jun 2010 12:51 pm

Jay...
The Glissentar is an actual OUD. Of course it looks like a guitar because it uses standard Godin guitar bodies and necks. The plus is that it already has built in electronics, a longer scale with side dots, and real guitar tuners that stay in tune. Plus much less prone to feedback and higher volumes. When they first came out my boss and I ordered one. We both figured it would either work just right or be a mess, if the later I would just sell it through the store. I do use the real oud for where I have to, for photos and very traditional appearance, otherwise it's the Glissentar all the time. I find the longer guitar scale a whole lot easier than the short neck of the oud. The stave back of an oud is uncomfortable and hard to hold in position and the friction violin pegs are a real problem with keeping unison strings in unison tune. It's like using a MAC, you never want to go back to a PC. My "real" oud gets used mostly as a prop or loaner now.
MLA

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 21 Jun 2010 3:08 pm

Michael,
I've had my Glissentar for a few years now....I picked it up when I was touring in a belly dance band.
It is quite a challenge to play in tune. I have most of my problems with chords. To be more specific, hitting the two or three note chords in the middle of faster passages....I find that is where I do most of my practicing, hitting them right at full speed....
I've never had an oud, but have played them...didn't work for me at all....for all the things you mentioned.

Jay

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 21 Jun 2010 3:53 pm

Jay...
Godin supplying that thing with "standard tuning" and marketing it to "guitarists" is the problem. Don't know how authentic ethnically the band you were in was, out here there is so much of this "tribal" and "fusion" dance stuff that is hybrid and non-authentic, and many of the players are not authentic either, they come from the "Deadhead' or "Jam Band" scene. The oud is tuned differently from the guitar, and there are multiple variations of tuning systems, Turkish, Arabic, and Armenian versions, plus there are two basic oud sizes, the smaller unornamented raw wood topped Turkish and Armenian style and the larger and usually heavily inlaid Arabic style. Hardly any player plays full chords as you know them. Not a lot of harmony. Everything is melody with other players doubling or playing octaves above and below is the simple way to explain it. An authentic oudist would have told you that right away, it's not a guitar, don't play chords, and get rid of that guitar tuning.
MLA

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 21 Jun 2010 5:19 pm

Thanks for teaching me about these exotic instruments. Playing these instruments only require two hands, so I don't believe they are more difficult than a psg.

Nicholai Steindler · Post by **Nicholai Steindler** » 21 Jun 2010 5:32 pm

I don't know, I find the concept of pushing a foot pedal to change my strings to the chord/scale I need much easier then the concept of remembering all of my chords and scales properly on a fingered instrument. Maybe someone smarter will chime in, or maybe everyone is different.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 21 Jun 2010 6:26 pm

MJP...
Are you aware that the instruments I describe use a 24-tone (quarter-tone) scale as opposed to the "Western" 12-tone scale? That should add somewhat to the difficulty, especially if you have zero experience with the music and it all sounds out-of-tune to you to begin with. And the kanun has the capability of sharping an eighth-tone on selected strings.
MLA

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 21 Jun 2010 8:20 pm

The Erhu, a Chinese Violin, is had to play because there is no fret board. You have to touch the strings with a very light touch. also the bow goes between the two strings, which are tuned a fifth apart. However, when mastered is very expressive and voice like.

Michael J Pfeifer · Post by **Michael J Pfeifer** » 22 Jun 2010 5:09 am

Hi Michael,

Yes, I'm familiar with quarter tones. There is plenty of middle eastern music here in NJ and NY.I'm sure playing quarter tones & middle eastern time signatures are most challenging. PSG requires more coordination since the player is using hands, feet, & legs. Like steel players, players of these exotic instruments don't get the recognition they deserve. Players of orchestral stringed instruments get world wide acclaim! Violin,cello & viola are difficult to play, but playing a steel takes more coordination,in my opinion.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 22 Jun 2010 6:05 am

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 22 Jun 2010 6:49 am

The piano is the hardest stringed instrument for me. Second would be the bongo drum that hangs around your shoulder.

William Lake · Post by **William Lake** » 22 Jun 2010 7:05 am

Without a doubt the hardest is the upright string bass. Ever try to get one of those suckers under your chin?

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 22 Jun 2010 11:39 am

There is a hilarious website that comes up with "Obscure Musical INstruments" including a "Petard", and a "Lympet"..

I wonder if they mention the Swinette ...

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