Balalaika Russian Triangle?

[TheNaivePicker]

Our friends mother went To Russia and came back with an interesting 3 stringed Instrument called a Harmony Balalaika?? I know nothing of these Instruments. I dont even know if this was the right area to post. But Im clearly interested..
The Guy let us borrow it, and it really needs a Tuning. Is there anyone that can give me any info on the Instrument, or what and how to tune it to?
Thanks! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Craton]

Is there anyone that can give me any info on the Instrument, or what and how to tune it to?
It depends on what size balalaika you have. Assuming it is a prima (the most common), it tunes E E A (yep, two E's). I owned one once for a short while but never could do much with it myself. It has an interesting technique that uses the thumb of the left hand on one of the strings as I recall. I sold mine after a few months' frustration to a Hungarian who evidently knew how to play one.

Usually balalaikas are three-string, but I have a friend who has one that's double-strung. I'd never seen one like that before or since, but apparently the animal exists.

Check out David Brown's balalaika page (http://www.ifccsa.org/balalaik.html) as it's a good starting place for info. The balalika is very popular in Russian and Eastern European folk music, and there are several active balalaika orchestras here in the US. At least one (probably more) concerto was written for the balalaika by Sergey Vasilenko (his op. 64, 1930).

If you're in a large metropolitan area, especially one with a Russian community, you should easily be able to find a teacher if you're interested in learning to play it.

[P.S. Love the photo on your profile page!]

[WireBoy]

3 string Balalaikas are usually tuned E E A. check out Mel Bay's # Complete Balalaika Book #By Bibs Ekkel. #A fabulous resource for the russian 3 stringer. #Also see www.larkintheAM.com for various Balalaika types.

[TheNaivePicker]

E E A, Hu? Thats strange.. But ok Ill try it. It should be pretty easy To Tune, I dont know why they'd have two E's though. #

If you're in a large metropolitan area, especially one with a Russian community, you should easily be able to find a teacher if you're interested in learning to play it.
# Nah I live out in the boonies in an Indian Reservation, somewhere in the Mountians, In Washington State. I dont think Im close to anyone Russian, But Im still reading around.
Thanks for The Links Theyre very helpful!


[P.S. Love the photo on your profile page!]
[P.S. Thank you! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif ]

[Spruce]

Here's some mando content... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Ted Beringer and Bruce Weber with 2 of Ted's new creations, a 10-string and a standard 8-string....

Great sounding instruments!

[Jacob]

Bass and soprano mandolaikas by Bob Kushner (http://tambura_man.tripod.com/id17.htm).

http://tambura_man.tripod.com/068c5090.jpg

[8ch(pl)]

I have an acquaintance who owns a Balalaika, which he tunes to D A E . He is German born, in his 60s and he says that a lot of Mandolin players in Europe tune them thus. He has played mandolin and violin since he was a boy. This tuning to the 3 treble strings of a mandolin should be lower than the E E A of the original Balalaika, would it not?