The Irish bouzouki (Irish: búsúcaí) is a version of the Greek bouzouki (Greek: μπουζούκι). In the mid-1960s, Johnny Moynihan of the folk group Sweeney’s Men introduced the newer Greek tetrachordo bouzouki, which has four courses of strings. He changed its traditional Greek tuning from C³F³A³D⁴ to G²D³A³D⁴, a tuning he had first used on the mandolin.
The fiddle is a key instrument in the traditional music of Ireland. It is the same type of instrument as the violin, but it is played in different ways depending on the region. During the time when sound recordings were made, some regional styles of playing the fiddle became more widely known, while others became less common.
The uilleann pipes (pronounced “ee-lan” or “ee-lyan”), also called Union pipes or Irish pipes, are the traditional bagpipes of Ireland. Their name comes from the Irish phrase “píobaí uilleann,” which means “pipes of the elbow,” because the instrument is inflated using a bellows. The term “uilleann pipes” was first used in the 20th century by a person named Grattan Flood.
Celtic music is a large group of music styles that developed from the folk music of the Celtic people in Northwestern Europe, which includes the modern Celtic nations. It includes both music that has been passed down through speaking and music that has been recorded. The styles of Celtic music vary widely, ranging from traditional music to many different types of mixes.
Laúd (Spanish: “lute”) is a string instrument from Spain that is played using a plectrum, a small tool used to pluck strings. It is also played in other countries, such as Cuba and the Philippines. The name “laúd” comes from the Arabic word al-oud (العود), which means “the wood” in Arabic.
Castanets, also called clackers or palillos, are a type of percussion instrument (idiophonic) used in Spanish, Calé, Moorish, Ottoman, Greek, Italian, Mexican, Sephardic, Portuguese, Filipino, Brazilian, and Swiss music. In ancient Greece and Rome, a similar instrument called the crotalum was used. The instrument is made of two concave shells connected by a string at one edge.
The classical guitar, also called the Spanish guitar, is a type of guitar used in classical music and other styles. It is an acoustic instrument made of wood with strings made from gut or nylon. It came before modern steel-string acoustic and electric guitars, which use metal strings.
Palmas is a handclapping technique that plays an important part in flamenco music. It helps emphasize and highlight the song and dance. Palmas can take the place of music, like during the corrillo at the end of a performance, and palmistas can help musicians by keeping a steady beat or help dancers by emphasizing the start or end of a musical phrase.
A cajón (Spanish: [kaˈxon] ka-KHON; “box, crate, drawer”) is a box-shaped percussion instrument from Peru. It is played by striking the front or back sides (usually made of thin wood) with hands, fingers, or tools such as brushes, mallets, or sticks. Cajóns are mainly used in Afro-Peruvian music, especially in a style called música criolla.
A flamenco guitar is a type of guitar that is similar to a classical guitar. However, it has some differences. The strings are closer to the fretboard, the top part of the guitar is thinner, the body is smaller, and there is less support inside the guitar.