Tar

This is a Turkish folk instrument played with a plectrum, and is most popular in the Kars region of Türkiye. It ‘s also known to be w’dely employed ‘n Azerbayjan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Georgia.

The table is made of two bowls of different sized, and is generally made of mulberry wood. The chest section is covered with a membrane from the heart of a bull or an ox. The stem is made of hard wood, with frets made of fishing line.

There are two main groups of strings on the tar. The first group are used in playing the melody, and are arranged in three groups of two. The other group are called ‘kök’ (root) and ‘zeng,’ and are used for harmony, depending on the particular mode, and for tone enrichment.

Sound of the tar/mp3 (680KB)

Sound of the tar/rm (127KB)

Photo: Tar