Bağlama
Bağlama is the most commonly used string folk instrument in Turkey. It takes different names according to the regions and according to its size such as Bağlama, Divan Sazı, Bozuk, Çöğür, Kopuz Irızva, Cura, Tambura, etc.
Cura is the smallest member of the bağlama family with the highest pitched sound. The member one size bigger than cura which gives a sound that is one octave lower than cura is the tambura. And the one with the deepest sound is the Divan sazı whose sound is one octave lower compared to tambura.
Bağlama has three main parts called Tekne, Göğüs and Sap. Tekne part is generally made from mulberry trees as well as from woods of juniper, beech, spruce or walnut. The göğüs part is made from spruce and the sap section from homespun or juniper.
There are pieces called burgu (screw) at the end of the sap which is opposite to tekne part to which the strings are tied. These screws are used for tuning. There are pitches on the sap tied fith fish line. Bağlama is played with a Mızrap or Tezene made from cherry wood bark or plastic and fingers are used in some regions. The later technique is called Şelpe.
The three string groups on bağlama in groups of two or three. These string groups can be tuned in a variety of ways. For example in thetuning style called bağlama Düzeni, the strings in the lower group give la, middle group strings re and upper group strings give mi notes. Besides this type of tuning there are Kara Düzen, Misket Düzeni Müstezat, Abdal Düzeni, Rast Düzeni etc. styles.