Duduk,MAde in , Armenia, Yerevan, Armenian, Duduk, Armenian Music I...k, Zurna, Shvi, haw to play duduk information, www.dudukonline.coms Video Available Now Learn The Art Of Armenian Duduk Duduk Video Vol. II Making of Jivan Gasparyan's new album / Video Documentary Learn first hand from the master him self close up's of his fingering techniques and secrets of his duduk playing to place orders please stop by at our our online shop @ http://www.duduk.com ©® www.Duduk.com 2002 Armenian Duduk http://duduk.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.html (1 von 20)17.09.2012 03:56:51 Duduk,MAde in , Armenia, Yerevan, Armenian, Duduk, Armenian Music I...k, Zurna, Shvi, haw to play duduk information, www.dudukonline.coms By Shea ( Sheram ) A.J. Comfort History / Background: The Duduk (pronounced “doo-dook”) is one of the oldest double reed instruments in the world. Indeed, it’s origins can be traced back to at least before the time of Christ. Of all the traditional instruments played in Armenia today, only the duduk is said to have truly Armenian origins. This seems to be supported by the fact that, unlike the duduk, all of these other instruments can trace their lineage’s back to the Arabic world and to the countries of the Silk Road. Throughout the centuries, the duduk has traveled to many neighboring countries and has undergone a few subtle changes in each of them, such as the specific tuning and the number of holes, etc. Now variants of duduk can be found in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Persia, and even as far away as the Balkans. Besides being called variations of the Armenian word “duduk”, such as “duduki” (in Georgia), it is also referred to as “mey” (in Turkey), and “balaban” (in Azerbaijan and in parts of Central Asia). The basic form has changed little in it’s long history. Originally, like many early flutes, the instrument was made from bone. Then it advanced to a single, long piece of reed/cane with the mouthpiece fashioned on one end and holes drilled out along it’s length for the notes. However, this had the obvious disadvantages of a lack of durability, namely when any part of it would crack you had to make an entirely new instrument, and perhaps equally frustrating, it could not be tuned. So, to address both of these problems, it was eventually modified into two pieces: a large double reed made of reed/cane; and a body made of wood. This is the form that is still in use today. http://duduk.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.html (2 von 20)17.09.2012 03:56:51 www.MAde in .2012 03:56:51 .Duduk.html (3 von 20)17. etc. strongly nasal sound. or family gathering would be complete without a duduk player. The Instrument itself: Reeds http://duduk. Armenian Music I. Armenia. While recent appearance’s of the duduk in various movie and TV soundtracks (“The Last Temptation of Christ”. Zurna. for example.. as well.09. that the duduk has truly become a part of everyday life in Armenia..). the best wood for making duduks has been found to be from the apricot tree. Warrior Princess”. “Zena.. in Armenia.. haw to play duduk information. Shvi.. It should be noted that in order to further accentuate these qualities. soft tone which is closer to a voice than to a reed.coms While other countries may use the wood from other fruit and/or nut trees when making their instruments (often plum and walnut in Georgia..com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. It may very well be because of this wide range of expression. In fact.. Yerevan. Duduk. All of the other variations of the instrument found in other countries have a very reed-like. “The Crow”.) has accentuated it’s evocative and soulful side (and understandably so!.. festive occasion. combined with the depth and power of it’s sound.). whereas the Armenian duduk has been specifically developed to produce a warm.k. including rhythmic dance tunes. and Azerbaijan... Armenian. It has come to be preferred over the years for it’s unique ability to resonate a sound that is unique to the Armenian duduk. it would not be an exaggeration to say that no wedding. a particular technique of reed making has evolved. it may surprise some to find that it is also quite capable of a wide range of melodies.dudukonline. Shvi. making sure you have the closing cap on.coms As mentioned and seen above in the photos. and 3/4” to 1 1/4” wide depending on the maker and the key of duduk it corresponds to. Playing the duduk is already hard enough.k. The trick here is to lightly coat the inside with moisture.dudukonline. it will open too much and the pitch will move around a lot when you play.. haw to play duduk information. Armenia. Now. Connected to this bridle is a small cap that is used to keep the reed closed when it is not being played.2012 03:56:51 . it will be very difficult to blow and it will cause the instrument to be flat. it may be necessary to actually wet the reed in order to open it up.. this being said. Armenian Music I. so that the reed can just be coaxed to open. Duduk.html (4 von 20)17.MAde in . Zurna. The fact that the opposite sides of the tube come together. shake the water to coat the inside of the reed and either blow it out the closed side or tip it over and dump the water out. makes this a double reed. It is important that the reed be only open enough to play comfortably (and be in tune with itself).5” long. Next. If the reed is too wet. is basically a tube made of reed/cane that has been flattened on one end (and left cylindrical at the other). stand the reed upright and wait a few minutes until it opens slightly on it’s own. do not do something that will make it even harder! http://duduk. then you will need to run a little water into the inside and while closing the circular end with your thumb. called ”Ramish” in Armenian (pronounced “rah-meesh”). whose shape closely resembles a duck’s bill.Duduk. and thus produces the sound. Because the reed expands as it is played. If the reed is dry (because it’s new or hasn’t been played in a while). because if it gets too wide. a small bridle is used to regulate the aperture of the reed. Armenian. Yerevan.09. www.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. the duduk is made up of two parts: the reed and the body: The reed. It can be anywhere from 3” to 4. Armenian Music I. as well as to control the expansion of any present or future cracks. What to look For: To begin. It’s range is primarily a single octave. you do not use any “forked-tuning” when playing the duduk. it has eight playable finger holes on one side of the instrument. Cut off a strip and shape it to fit your reed. you should be sure to keep the closing cap on at all times. and then fitting it into the socket of the duduk. Armenian. the ramish needs to be un-cracked and in good shape in order to be truly playable. If your reed has a crack. Let it dry completely. It is untempered and diatonic. and it contributes to the rich. “RR”. You want it to be as thin as possible. using a thin layer of carpenters/wood glue apply the strip along the edge of the reed. The Armenian duduk is a deceptively simple instrument..MAde in . While you hardly use this tenth hole.k. Most high quality reeds come with a thin strip of leather glued to both of the folded edges of the reed (see the “ramish” photos above) which serves to seal up any potential air-loss. however. or by using your knee if you are sitting. Then. Duduk. the benefit to having the hole on the bottom is that you will be able to play that note either by pulling the instrument to your stomach (with all of the holes closed) if you are standing. http://duduk. “MKS”.coms The Armenian duduk itself is a cylindrical tube made of apricot wood. Shvi. puts his on the top). Remember to remove the bridle when working on the reed. with a single thumb hole on the back for the top hand (labeled #3 in the photo).dudukonline. There is a tenth hole (labeled as #11 in the photo) that is needed for tuning.2012 03:56:51 . otherwise the bridle will not fit and the reed will not resonate well. Zurna.09. full sound of the instrument.something that is very difficult in the beginning. www.. “SAM”.. haw to play duduk information. and you don’t already have these leather strips on. then it should still be fine (depending on how deep it is). Armenia. as well as work harder in order to keep the notes in tune. To make this easier. put their holes on the bottom. but well worth it in the end! Set Up and Playing the Instrument: Setting up and playing the duduk pretty much comes down to preparing the reed itself. and if the reed is open at all. then try it out. and depending on the maker it can be located on the top or on the bottom of the instrument (Master Karlen. you can add them yourself. while Master Ruben. Yerevan.. Keep in mind that this also means that you have to blow harder to get that sound.Duduk. What makes the instrument so difficult is that all of the chromatic intervals are made by half-holing each note. and it is available in a range of keys (depending on the maker). with a couple of notes above and below at either end. the holes have been made relatively large compared to the overall size of the instrument. and Master Souren. This allows for more “play” between the notes. peel off just the treated layer. Find a source of leather pieces (a shoe or clothing repair shop will often just have a bag of scraps you can take for free) and using the treated side of the skin.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. The only exception to this is if the crack is along the folded edge. and as you can see in the above photo.html (5 von 20)17. just shake a little water in the inside of the reed. if the reed has been played recently or just happens to be one that opens easily. then stand it up.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index..2012 03:56:51 .k. you may not need to add water to it. However.coms Photo of the Tip of a Ramish in a Duduk (to show how much reed should be open when played) Opening the reed: As discussed above in the reed description. www. the ramish should open. It may be sufficient to just place it in your open mouth and breath hot air onto it until it opens. Once again. repeat the process until it does.Duduk. Shvi. It is important to not over soak the reed because if you do it will open too much. Duduk. haw to play duduk information. Armenian Music I. Armenian. then the goal of the player is to get the reed just moist enough so that it opens slightly (see above photo). Yerevan.09..dudukonline. put the closing cap on it. Armenia. blow it out. Zurna. if the reed is closed.html (6 von 20)17. After a few minutes. making it very difficult to play and it will throw the tuning off for the whole instrument. http://duduk. If not.MAde in . 09.k. Armenia..Duduk. Zurna.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.coms Putting the Reed on correctly Alignment http://duduk. Duduk.dudukonline. www.. Armenian Music I. Shvi.MAde in .html (7 von 20)17. Armenian. Yerevan. haw to play duduk information.2012 03:56:51 . com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.09.. Zurna.) http://duduk. Armenian. haw to play duduk information. Armenia. Yerevan.. Duduk.coms Side-view of holding duduk (to show reed-angled down.k..Duduk.2012 03:56:51 . Shvi. www. Armenian Music I..dudukonline.MAde in .html (8 von 20)17. and generally. you need to begin by determining your comfort level regarding how much the reed itself is open when you play (remember when determining this aperture that being able to regulate that note with the bridle and your lips must be taken into account. as well as close the bottom four holes with your lower hand at the same time or else the notes will be sharp). You can test to see if the ramish needs to be adjusted by first checking each individual note (with a tuner or piano). This is done by comparing the note you get with all the fingers off.. The opposite is equally true. Armenian. each reed has it’s own particular curvature. Armenian Music I. Shvi. these two notes should be in tune. once this is set. the reed no longer goes in as far and therefore the distance between the reed and the holes is slightly larger. It is important to attach the reed so that it is snug. and it will make the tuning sharper. but you must be careful not to crack it when inserting it. or you acquire more reeds as time goes by.k. as you add thread. You can “sight” this with your eyes. However. http://duduk. the ramish itself is adjusted to the duduk by wrapping or unwrapping the thread in order to find the correct distance between it and the holes. after you check everything.Duduk. Then. and the connecting end down (see photo “A” above). In fact.MAde in . haw to play duduk information. If. Duduk. If you have a good instrument and your reed is properly adjusted. www. place the ramish into the socket at the upper end of the duduk and connect the two with a slight twisting motion (this serves to help lock the reed in). It helps if you hold the ramish like you would hold a banana (ie. Basically.coms Connecting the Reed to the Duduk: Once the reed has opened it can now be attached to the duduk’s body.dudukonline. and already fitted!). This is done by wrapping or unwrapping the thread on the reed.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. the duduk needs to be tuned by following a two step process. then you should check an octave interval to make sure the reed-itself is open to the right aperture.. Armenia.09. you must release some of the tension on the reed with your lips.2012 03:56:51 . with the fingers loosely wrapped around it) with the playing end up towards your thumb. in tune. as well). First. you want the angle that it comes out of the duduk to slope down as it comes to your lips (see photo “C” above) Tuning the Duduk: If you are lucky enough to get a hold of a good instrument that has been matched to it’s reed. it will be more likely that you will need to adjust them to fit your duduk. you feel that an adjustment is needed. Then. You will need to find the balance between these two components. with the duduk in one hand and the reed in the other. you will need to fine tune the instrument. to the note you get with six fingers and your thumb closed on the instrument (this translates to #1 and #8 on the above fingering diagram). (Keep in mind that when you play any of the top three holes of your duduk. just like you would look down the barrel of a gun. if this is not the case. Align the reed so that the flat plane of the reed is perpendicular to the holes (see photo “B” above).html (9 von 20)17. if you remove thread from the reed. Yerevan. Zurna. then you are doing great. (ie. This then has the effect of flatting the tuning. Also. you will shorten the distance between the ramish and the holes. Duduk.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. In general. Be very careful. On the other hand.k. however. are there many differently-sized ramish to fit them. This is a very delicate procedure and you risk truly ruining your reed.. Armenian. if you are buying decent reeds. but that is really pushing it. In general. and you have unwrapped as much thread as you safely can before the reed falls out of the socket. Yerevan. Armenian Music I. Remember. you will only be able to comfortably get about a quarter tone of correction with each reed. You may be able to adjust the tuning by as much as a half step.09. and therefore. all of this information is based on the assumption that you have the correct sized ramish for the duduk you want it to go to. Shvi. Do not attempt this unless you are completely sure of what you are doing. Just for the sake of information: If you are sure that the reed is the right size for your duduk. but there is limit as to how much thread you can wrap to make up for lost material. you will need to unwrap the thread off of the ramish and sand the base down until it goes in as far as you would like. It must be taken into account that this fine tuning is for when the reed is close to the pitch that the duduk should be in. It is interesting to note that most duduk players eventually wind up with several duduks in the same key because the same reed in different duduks will be subtly different.MAde in . then the reed makers have done this part for you and you should only need to do the fine tuning portion in order to adjust it to your particular duduk.. Zurna.coms Up to now. you can always take more off. some reeds will not fit deep enough into the socket of the duduk because the reed itself is too big.dudukonline. There are many different keys of duduks. and some duduks have the ability to slightly flatten and round out the sound of a reed that might otherwise be too sharp in another instrument. In this case. as it is easy to go too far. and it is still flat of the note that it should be at (make sure you have the right note).2012 03:56:51 . www. Armenia. this same duduk might seem slightly flat with another reed! Photo of good and bad posture while playing http://duduk. In fact. then it is possible to sand the playing side of the duduk in order to shorten it up. haw to play duduk information. some duduks are slightly sharper on the top and so they match well with a flatter reed.html (10 von 20)17. This being said. and therefore sharpen the overall tuning. Duduk. dudukonline.coms (Correct body position) (Poor Body Position) Playing the duduk: The Armenian duduk is a very simple and organic instrument..09. so proper posture and being relaxed is important.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. Shvi. Armenian Music I. this will only block your breath/energy and make you work even harder to play the instrument! (see photo above) Proper reed and mouth positioning http://duduk. The breath control is exactly like that of a singer.html (11 von 20)17.k. Do not slouch. Armenia. Armenian. haw to play duduk information. or bow your head. www. or an actor.2012 03:56:51 . To begin. it requires a great deal of breath. Zurna.. Yerevan. and it allows for a great deal of individual expression. and not your chest.Duduk. in that you should breath from your diaphragm.MAde in . Duduk. unlike a clarinet. Armenian Music I.2012 03:56:51 .09..html (12 von 20)17. It is important to note that. The cheeks are allowed to puff out a little.dudukonline. while being quite large.k. Shvi. www. with only 1/4” to 1/2” being inserted into your mouth (see above photo). Yerevan.MAde in . Hand positions (7 + 8 fingers) http://duduk.. Zurna. only gets played at the very end. The correct way to do a vibrato is by moving your lower lip only. it does not need to be squeezed against the lips.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. because you can actually pinch off your sound. Armenian. It should not touch your teeth.coms The reed.Duduk. and your upper and lower lips should be secure on it just enough to make it vibrate without any loss of air. Duduk. haw to play duduk information. and not by moving your jaw. Armenia. this actually helps your embouchure. and release the reed for the higher ones). Yerevan. Armenia. (Most likely this will mean that you will pinch the reed slightly for the lower notes. and then you have to use your lips and fingers while your playing. and hands. This not only will keep the top notes from being too sharp. Duduk.. depending on the needs of the tune you are playing (see photo).com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.09. Notice that between these two positions.coms (Hand position for playing 7 holes) (Hand position for playing 8 holes) The fingers are relaxed. then both hands use all four fingers each (this includes using the thumb on the top hand.MAde in . if you will need all eight notes in the piece you will be playing. at ease.2012 03:56:51 . The fingers are spaced in two separate ways.. and slightly curved. Shvi. of course). and you do this by getting it as close as you can with the bridle before you start. then flowing down into your wrists. In general.. haw to play duduk information. there is a slight shift of where the fingers fall on the holes for the top hand only. you will want to keep all of the notes on the lower hand closed. Zurna.Duduk. www. when you play the top four notes (#1 through #5 on the fingering chart). then the top hand uses three fingers and the bottom uses all four..You must always be adjusting the reed in order to keep your pitch correct. it also allows more of your instrument to resonate and therefore the sound will be better. However. It may help to think of this looseness as beginning in your arms.. As mentioned in the tuning section. http://duduk. When you begin to play the duduk. Armenian.dudukonline.html (13 von 20)17. Armenian Music I.k. if you only need the top seven fingers (not counting the thumb hole). you will soon learn that playing is tuning. html (14 von 20)17. start to work on your half-hole technique (see above photo). haw to play duduk information. Duduk... Yerevan. Zurna. You will need to get a feel for where the actual note is (it’s good to use a piano) and then work on hitting it right from the start without it sliding around. and not be able to tell which notes are full and which ones are half-holed.dudukonline. www.k.coms Photo’s of whole hole + 1/2 hole fingering for: Top hand (Open hole for top hand) Bottom hand (Half-hole for top hand) (Open hole for bottom hand) (Half-hole for bottom hand) You should begin by playing the holes all the way off and on.09. Shvi.Duduk. You should ultimately be able to half-hole cleanly on every note. Armenia. Then put it in sequence with other notes. Then when this becomes easier.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index.MAde in . You will also notice that you need to blow harder to maintain the volume as compared to the completely open notes. Armenian. http://duduk. Armenian Music I.2012 03:56:51 . It may help to use an analogy here: think of the whole process as if you were releasing and then reengaging the clutch in the manual transmission of a car. Duduk.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. duduks are traditionally played in pairs. you simultaneously use the reserved air in your cheeks to keep the note going as you refill your lungs through your nose. Zurna.k. while keeping it in the same gear. and they should be left out in the open after they have been played.Duduk. it is common for the student to hold the note for the teacher as part of his learning the instrument because it helps to develop the muscles.MAde in . Armenian Music I. or “damkash”. Caring for the Reeds The reeds should be allowed to dry out. Armenian.. Your cheeks are the clutch.. In Armenia. Yerevan. with one person playing the melody and one person playing a continuous drone note called the “dam”. http://duduk. then when you need to breath. haw to play duduk information.09..coms It is interesting to note that in Armenia.html (15 von 20)17. you cut off the air in your throat At his point. www. Shvi.2012 03:56:51 . You then reengage your lungs and the note never falters. If they are stored moist in a closed container.dudukonline. Duduk players often store them in sun-glasses cases with holes (3/8”) drilled in them for ventilation. as well as to perfect their intonation. This “circular breathing” is done by puffing up the cheeks with air while you are playing. they will soon mildew and get moldy. Remember to always loosen the bridle and keep the closing cap on when they are not being played. Armenia.. wrap the cloth tight. To do this you need a hammer. www.MAde in . as this will change it’s sound.2012 03:56:51 . Zurna..html (16 von 20)17. Armenian.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. and a nice piece of cloth. 3 or 4 walnuts . Put the walnuts in the cloth . Armenian Music I.09.Duduk. Duduk.coms Caring for the Duduk The Armenian Duduk itself only needs to be lightly oiled on the outside every so often. haw to play duduk information. Armenia.. For this you can use the method that has been used for hundreds of years. start hitting the walnuts gently until you see the oil of the walnuts spreading on the cloth.dudukonline.k. Yerevan. You do not ever want to put oil inside the duduk. http://duduk. Shvi. Armenia. You can use this cloth several times until the oil on the cloth starts to dry out.2012 03:56:51 ..html (17 von 20)17.coms Using the cloth. www. Yerevan. http://duduk. Duduk.k. Armenian.. Shvi.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. Zurna. Armenian Music I. haw to play duduk information. gently apply the oily cloth on the duduk.09.Duduk.MAde in .dudukonline. moisture.Duduk. or liquids. such as gun cases.09. brief cases.coms Walnut contains natural minerals. non-vegetable based oil (vegetable oil will go rancid on you).com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. Armenian Music I. one thing you need to remember is not to let your duduk under the sun or expose your duduk to heat..k.html (18 von 20)17. Yerevan..MAde in . You can store the duduks in a closed compartment. and oil . or any other neutral. this will preserve your instrument for many years. Armenian. Shvi. you can also use almond oil. Or you can use soft cloth to wrap the duduk. How to store your Duduk You can store your duduk many different ways . Zurna.2012 03:56:51 . haw to play duduk information. www. vitamins. Pictures are courtesy of Daryl Finley http://duduk.dudukonline. Duduk. Armenia. or something that has cushion that will prevent the duduk from damaging when transporting the duduk. Armenian Music I. haw to play duduk information. Shvi. DudukOnLine. www.2012 03:56:51 .dudukonline.Duduk..html (19 von 20)17. In fact. Phone (626) 440 0030 Email
[email protected] Some Final Words: While it may be true that the Armenian duduk has recently evolved along Western lines (namely that it is now diatonic and tuned in a major (natural) scale.MAde in .com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. Yerevan. it’s http://duduk..k. Armenia.09. Duduk. Armenian.coms Soon we will be able to offer you these instrument pouches form www. it is not really a completely Western instrument. Zurna.com These pouches are ideal to store your instruments.thereby making it capable of holding it’s own with tempered instruments). Comfort if you wish to place an order please stop by at our web site htrtp://www. Shvi.J.2012 03:56:51 ..com ©® www.. Congratulations..which is probably what drew you to the duduk in the first place!. Yerevan..k. though.09.. Duduk. Shea (Sheram) A.Duduk. haw to play duduk information.com/Arm-music-ins/Duduk/Duduk-Info/index. 2000.com. Perhaps it is because of this very dichotomy that it has the universal appeal that it does?.MAde in . Armenia.2001 Designed by MM http://duduk. Zurna. when you finally get there. www.duduk. and that is that even though the technique for playing the duduk may take years to perfect.html (20 von 20)17.dudukonline..coms expressiveness and style of play have it firmly rooted in the East.Who knows? One thing is for sure. you will have attained a level of direct control and expressiveness that no other instrument can give you. and good luck. Armenian Music I..DudukOnLine. Armenian..