About Bouzouki lessons

What is a Bouzouki?

The bouzouki is a stringed instrument, played with a plectrum (pick) and it has either 3 or 4 double strings. Each pair consists of 2 strings that are tuned to the same pitch per pair. The instrument's thin, long neck is divided by frets, just like a guitar. Inlay markings are also applied to the fretboard, allowing you to orient yourself and play the correct notes more easily.  It belongs to a family of long-necked lutes that includes the Turkish saz and the ancient pandura, instruments depicted on Greek vases as far back as 350 BC. The modern bouzouki as we know it, three or four couples of metal strings over a rounded spruce top, crystallised in Greece in the early twentieth century.

Convex bac

The egg-shaped, convex soundbox of the Greek bouzouki consists of thin wooden strips (struts) that are bent into shape over a mold and glued together. For the best instruments, wood from the mulberry, walnut, maple, cherry, rosewood, or acacia tree is chosen for this.

The top

The top is very important for the resonance and clear sound of the bouzouki. The top is almost always made of a soft softwood. A builder selects his material and looks for wood with a fine, straight, and even grain. Spruce or cedar wood is particularly suitable.

What kind of music do you play on the Bouzouki?

The bouzouki is the heart and soul of Greek music. Whether you are drawn to the smoky, raw sound of pre-war rebetiko, the warmth of laïká, the rich scales of Turkish and Ottoman music, or the authenticity and emotion of Greek folk music dimotika, there is a world waiting to be discovered.

How do you play the Bouzouki?

You pluck the bouzouki with a plectrum or mezrab. You can easily learn this technique if you practice regularly.

Where does the bouzouki come from?

The origins of the Bouzouki lie in antiquity with the Greek pandoura, but the modern bouzouki emerged in the early 20th century. Greek immigrants from Anatolia brought the instrument to Greece around 1900. There, the bouzouki became the most important instrument of Rebetiko.

Rebetiko

Rebetiko is a narrative and emotional musical style that gives voice to the 'soul,' 'duende,' 'saudade,' or whatever you want to call it, of the musicians and listeners. Rebetiko has a musical charge that touches you deeply, and which you also experience in Blues, Tango, Soul, Flamenco, and other emotional world music styles. However, classical music or pop also possesses this charge, and whether it appeals to you ultimately determines your musical choice.

More information

Is there a waiting list if you want to take bouzouki lessons?

No, there isn’t a waiting list. After your trial lesson, you can start right away! At Vivaldi Music Lessons, most teachers do not have a waiting list, and you can join throughout the year. Always book a trial lesson first so you can get acquainted with your teacher!

Is it difficult to learn to play the bouzouki?

The bouzouki is an accessible instrument, and if you practise regularly and take lessons from a good bouzouki player, you’ll get the hang of it quickly!

What is rebetiko?

Rebetiko is a particular style of music from Greece. Rebetiko has an emotional depth that touches you deeply, similar to what you may experience in blues, tango, soul, flamenco, and other emotional styles of world music. Classical music and pop music can have this emotional depth as well, and ultimately, whether it appeals to you determines your choice of music.