Dotâr

The dotâr , dutâr or doutâr (" two cordes" in Persan) is a traditional Luth with length handle found in Central Asia. Its origin is probably the Tambur Khorassan describes by Al-Farabi (10th century) in its test Kitab Al Musiqi Al Kabir ( Livre of the classical music ). Held a long time with the nomads and bards Bakhshi S, it became at the 19th century an acceptable instrument in the erudite musics of the Ouzbékistan, the Tadjikistan and the Ouïghour S.

Stringed-instrument trade

There exist two varieties of dotâr:
  • with small case of rather angular resonance, cut in a block of massive mulberry tree
  • with case of convex and round resonance, in lamellate-stuck beech, walnut tree or murrier (enough near to the Iranian Setar or Turkish Saz)
With this one is grafted a very long and fine handle (in pear tree, walnut tree or apricot tree). Is added to it a light Sounding board in beech or mulberry tree, bored very small hardly visible hearing. The cords (out of metal, silk or nylon), one acute and the other engraves (with the octave or the fifth), rest on a very small rest. They are granted by means of small ankles at the end of the handle. There are about fifteen hoops in bowels, nonremovable, and placed at equidistant, chromatic scale. The handle is often decorated with marquetry or brackets with bone.

Play

The musician holds the instrument against him and seldom uses a Plectre ( mezrap ) preferring to play with his fingers. The technique is very complex and points out that of the Guitare flamenco of which it is perhaps a source. Indeed, the player manages to play a very fast succession of notes, not only by one movement of the hand or a finger, but by also carrying out ascending and downward winches fingers of the right hand, pulps, well flat in range, on the cords, while applying to it of the rhythmic effects. Sometimes the back of the nails is used, as well as the inch of the left hand, thus changing the tonality of the Bourdon. The four fingers of the left hand are very nimble on the two cords, along the handle.

Taking into account the small volume of the case and proximity of the rare cords, this instrument hardly has sound emphase. It is thus necessary unceasingly to start again the sound by means of a caress out of winch, if not it dies out very quickly.

It can be played only or in unit or accompanied by percussions (Daf or Doyre), but generally, it accompanies the song. The women play about it very as much as the men.

Whereas the repertory is primarily folk, it can also touch the erudite musics, those of the Maqôm Ouïghours in particular.

The artist most representative are:

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