24th January 2014 at St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow.
The Khamak is an instrument played by the Baul people of Bengal. It consists of a wooden bowl with a skin membrane at the bottom. Attached to this are one or more strings, the other end of which are attached to a small brass or wooden handle. The bowl is held under the arm and the handle held in the hand of the same arm. The string is plucked with a plectrum held in the other hand, and the tension in the string varied by pulling on the handle.
For a photo of the instrument being played see: www.flickr.com/photos/kmlivemusic/12265173515/.
Some writers classify the Khamak asa chorodphone as the sound primarily comes from the plucking of a string. However it doesn’t fit into any of the categories of chordophone (lute, harp, zither) and is usually played by a group’s percussionist to provide rhythm.
Therefore I have assigned Khamaks to the number 22 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
2 = Membranophones. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
22 = Instruments with a string attached to the membrane, so that when the string is plucked, the membrane vibrates.
Tags: Musical Instrument Hornbostel-Sachs Membranophone Khamak Drums India Ruhaniyat St Andrew’s in the Square
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24th January 2014 at St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow.
Celtic Connections Festival, www.celticconnections.com/.
Country: India. Style: Bengali Folk Music/Sufi Music.
Lineup: Satyaki Banerjee (v/oud/dotara), Tajdar Junaid (g/charango), Rabi Mondal v/dupki/khamak/daf).
This group (supporting Firil at this gig) was one of five Indian “Folk Fusion” bands invited to the Festival. From Kolkata and formed in 2009, they have been described as a “baul-sufi-folk band” (they unite a Baul musician with performers previously associated with classical and contemporary styles), and play instruments from Bengal and around the world (such as an Oud and a Charango).
Tags: World Music India Sufi Music Ruhaniyat Khamak Drums Celtic Connections St Andrew’s in the Square
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