Beginner in much need of advice! Baglama or Tzouras?

[stuartmills]

Hello Everyone!

First of all thank you for viewing, I hope you may be able to give me some much needed advice.

I am a big fan of Greek music, both the more traditional folk dance and also the earlier rebetiko. I have therefore decided that I would like to learn to play these genres but due to my lack of experience with fretted instruments am struggling to narrow down which would be most suitable.

The bouzouki would seem an obvious choice but due to its size wouldn't really be suitable. Being in the Royal Navy the instrument would be great for morale whilst at sea but sadly space is limited.

I was hoping someone with experience on instruments such as the Baglama and Tzouras may be able to suggest which would be most suitable to an absolute beginner? Also which out of the two would be most suitable to play on its own, just like simple folk tunes?

I have seen lots of nice instruments during my internet searching but a couple of the cheaper ones, made by Sakis seem ideal for a beginner. Not sure if anyone has experience with them?

Thank you all in advance for any help and advice you may be able to provide me.

Kind Regards,

Stuart Mills

[klaezimmer]

Stuart,

I am not as knowledgeable as I'd like to be here, but I did some research on these things before I bought my bouzouki. The tzouras is smaller by a significant amount but is tuned the same as a trichordo bouzouki, if my information is correct. Strings must be of a thicker gauge. The baglama is considerably smaller - more in the mandolin range with a smaller than bowlback mando body - and, again if my information is correct, is tuned an octave above the bouzouki/tzouras.

The baglama would be easiest to store on a ship although the tzouras may not be prohibitively large. I have no idea how much space you have available for storage. From a playing by itself standpoint, I would think the tzouras would be friendlier to someone accompanying their voice.

Again, I wish I could be of greater help to you here. I believe your question dignifies a response. If I have misinformed you about anything, may those who have not yet responded because they didn't think they knew enough rise to the occasion and set me straight. Perhaps if we pool our ignorance, some useful information may rise to the surface.

May your search be fruitful,
Ron

[ollaimh]

i do not like the sound of sakis unless that's all you can get. if you are in greece with the royal navy, go to the monistraki in athens and find the samuelian music store, he always has a selection of good stuff at the cheapest prices in greece!

a baglama would be small and you can learn the basics and then later transfer that knowledge to a bouzouki , tzouris, or even a tabouras(greek saz) if you are adventurous. now i play mostly celtic on greek instruments. when i was in greece they thought it was a gas--lucky for me, but i do faux rebitiko--that i make up myself in as close a style as i can. you will find bouzouki lessons on you tube and they are quite good to learn the runs for a beginner, these runs are the same for baglama and bouzouki. they use a lot of tight scales with every note in the run being used as ornimantation. it takes pratice but after a while they are as natural as celtic or blue grass standard licks. great players mix them up but ya gotta start somewhere. and they sound impressive even if standard ones, at least to the inexperienced. there are two books in greek and english now, of rebitiko, and greek dance. i bought one on e bay.

if you do get to athens there are several music stores in piareaus as well with good selection and prices but i would look at sanuelian if you can. yainnis was at samuelian's store when i was there!!!