The Best of Iranian Instrumental Music

If you are a fan of Iranian music, then you will love this blog. Here, you can find the best of Iranian instrumental music, ranging from traditional to modern.

Traditional Iranian Instruments

There are many different types of traditional Iranian instruments, each with their own unique sound. Some of the most popular instruments include the tar, setar, violin, and percussion instruments. Iranian music is often very motivating and upbeat, making it perfect for dancing.

Tar

The tar is a stringed instrument, having six to seven strings, which is used extensively in Iranian music. The instrument first appeared in Persia in the 18th century and quickly became a favorite among Iranian musicians. The tar has a deep, resonant sound and is used both as a solo and accompaniment instrument. It is also used in ensembles, such as the Persian classical orchestra (the radif).

Setar

The setar (Persian: ستار‎) is a plucked string instrument used in the traditional music of Iran, with a history of at least 3000 years. It is thought to have descended from an ancient instrument known as the barbat. The word setar means “three-stringed” in Persian; other Iranian instruments with more or less strings are referred to accordingly, such as tar (Persian: تار‎, “four-stringed”), dotar (دوتار, “two-stringed”), etc.

Kamancheh

Kamancheh, also spelled qamanche, gobuz, kaman-e baz, and kaman, is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the Central Asian komuz and akin to the bowed rebab. It is used in Iranian music and Azerbaijanwan folk music. The strings are tuned in fifths, unlike Western violin family instruments. Kamanche has 4 or 5 metal strings which are plucked with a plectrum. A typical performance technique is to hold the instrument under the chin, like a violin or cello as well as holding it upright on the knee like a rebab.

Contemporary Iranian Instruments

A closer look into the music of Iran would not be complete without a mention of the country’s contemporary instrumental scene. A wide variety of instruments are used in Iranian music, from the traditional Persian setar and tar to the more modern piano and guitar.

Santur

The santur is a word that covers many different hammered dulcimers from around the world. The instrument most commonly associated with Iran is a trapezoidal box zither, usually with 72 or more strings arranged in pairs. The santur is struck with two wooden mallets, and the resulting sound is both delicate and sonorous. The instrument’s popularity in Iran can be traced back to the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), when it was introduced from Central Asia. Iranian santur players often use a special tuning technique called mekrabi, in which one string of each pair is tuned slightly higher than the other, producing a shimmering effect known as zilzal.

Tar

The tar is a long-necked, waisted lute found in Iran and other parts of the Middle East. It has six or seven nylon or steel strings and a small, spherical body. The tar is played with a plectrum and is used mainly in Iranian classical music.

Setar

The setar (pronounced seh-TAHR), is a plucked string instrument used in Iranian music. It has a long neck and a pear-shaped body, and is usually made of teak wood. It has four strings, which are traditionally made of gut. The setar is related to the Persian tar, an instrument that was traditionally used in folk music, and the Indian sitar.

The setar is played with the left hand, while the right hand plucks the strings. The player can produce a variety of sounds by changing the tension of the strings with the left hand while plucking them with the right. The setar can be tuned to different scales, depending on the style of music being played.

The setar originated in Persia (Iran) and was first mentioned in texts dating back to the 12th century. It was originally used in folk music, but over time it began to be used in classical Persian music as well. In the 20th century, Iranian composers began to write pieces specifically for the setar, and it became increasingly popular as a solo instrument.

Today, the setar is still used in traditional Persian music, but it has also gained popularity in other genres such as jazz and rock. A number of famous musicians have been known to play the setar, including Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.

Iranian Instrumental Music

Iranian music is some of the most beautiful in the world. The best of Iranian instrumental music is a perfect way to relax and enjoy the culture and history of this amazing country. The music is perfect for any occasion, and it is sure to please everyone in the room.

Dastgah

Dastgah (Persian: دستگاه‎, literally “arrangement”) is the Persian word for maqam (Arabic: مقام‎). It refers to a specific melodic mode, consisting of a series of either exact melodies or melodic fragments, which serves as the basis or framework for improvisation and composition in Iranian music. The dastgah system, which is also found in classical Arabic music, is based onModal theory. The mode or dastgah provides a tonal scaffold for composer and performer alike.

Dastgahs are defined by their family resemblance; each dastgah descends from a root modal form (called daeshgan)which has remained more or less constant throughout the centuries. Each daeshgan may have dozens – even hundreds – of different melodic derivatives called gushehs (singular gusheh), which vary according to musical context and performer preference. The repertoire of each dastgah consists of both improvisations ( ta’zieh)and composed works ( tasnif).

There are currently twelve major dastgahs recognized in Iranian music, each with its own body of repertoire: Dodi, Avaaz-e Homayoon, Bayat-e Turk, Chahargah, Dashti, Esfahan, Homayoon, Kargah, Nava, Shiraz, Sikkar and Shur. In addition to these twelve “mother” dastgahs, there are numerous regional and local variants called badiehs (singular badih). Many of these badiehs descend from ancient folkloric traditions and are still performed today; others are relatively modern inventions.

Radif

Radif is the set of melodic figures that form the basis of Persian classical music (also known as Iranian classical music or Dastgah music). The radif consists of a collection of heptatonic tonal solmization syllables (called gusheh) which are used to identify different melodic movements. The exact number and order of these gusheh varies from one composer to another, but there is always a set order within each composition.

The word “radif” literally means “order” or “row” in Persian, and this reflects its function in Persian classical music. By learning a radif, musicians can quickly identify the starting point and general shape of a melody, as well as its place within the overall structure of a composition. This makes it possible to improvise new melodies within the same general framework, or to play pre-composed melodies without having to memorize their entire sequence of notes.

The radif also serves an important cultural function, helping to preserve the musical traditions of Persia and keeping them alive for future generations.

Chahargah

Chahargah (“The Wealthy”) is one of the Dastgāh-e Shur (the six major modes) of Iranian music. It has a Dorian tetrachord on tonic, latter followed by two whole tones and a minor third, making it effectively a minor mode.

The ChaharGah mode is employed in many Iranian classical pieces, particularly in the works of Darvish Khan, Heshmat Sanjari, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Jalil Shahnaz and Dariush Talai.