I'm looking into getting a bouzouki, but I'm not sure which is better. Is there a huge difference in play style? Is it easy to switch between? Which is more popular?
---Corey
Don't quote me on this, but I don't think there really is such a thing as a 10-string bouzouki. I think what you may be referring to is a cittern, which is typically 10 strings/5 courses, but I've never played a cittern, so I couldn't tell you anything about it, but I am tempted to say that it's simply like playing a bouzouki but with another course either above or below the bouzouki range. Either that or someone who knows will provide a more meaningful post.
I will say this that is probably relevant. Are you looking to play more accompaniment or more melody? If you want to play more melody, you may want to consider an octave mandolin. The shorter scale will make melody playing a bit easier, but the tone may no be quite as rich as a bouzouki. If you're considering a 5-course instrument I figure you may be wanting to accompany more. To my knowledge the cittern gets used more for accompaniment than melody.
I use an Octave Mandolin tuned GDAD to back in this music. I play a cross picking style after Zan McCleod. Its alot different than guitar strumming and I enjoy playing it very much
it seems to me that the 4 course OM and bouzouki are more common. My guess would be that since the fiddle has G as its lowest note, your bass string on a 5 course cittern would not get as much use anyway
Yep, the bouzouki and OM are used alot more than the 10 string Cittern in Irish music.
Both are a good choice with the Cittern giving a more deep end sound. And both can be used for melody playing as well as accompaniment.
I tune GDAD on the bouzouki and DGDAD on the Cittern. I use the low D alot as an open drone type of thing on the latter.
Personally, I'll let you know when I have my 5-course 'zouk, which , as I'm going to build it, very slowly, might be a while.
However my thoughts, for the moment, are as follows;
1) the 5-course 'zouk is an extreme arrangement - you can't really string an instrument with a 660mm scale length to play much over the top E normally found, so the extra course is a bass pair - you can of course capo some way up the neck some of the time, and have the instrument more as a mandola with an extra pair. That's my plan anyway.
2 ) most people I know tune their citterns in some variation of either an open tuning, 4ths and 5ths alternately, or some variation of DADGAD without the bottom D, but most seem to use them as accompaniment instruments. This may only relate to the small number of people I know with citterns.
3 ) it is simply not true that you cannot play tunes on a 'zouk, but you just have to be prepared to throw your hand about a bit more than on a shorter-scale instrument.
I play a ten string because it has more of a growl with the extra bass pair of d's tuned dgdad although I know others playing dadad and dgdgd ,you pays your money and takes your choice.there no rules.
I think 8 strings can sound a bit wimpy some times and you don't have to play all ten strings at the same time. So you can play the ten string like an 8 if you wish but of course. The 8 string cannot play like a ten
I am looking more for accompaniment than melody, though that might change a bit as I get more proficient on the instrument. I'm still not sure which would be better for the style that I'd like to play, but I am leaning towards the cittern.
---Corey
I have a friend who plays a 5-course cittern, which I sometimes borrow for the odd tune in sessions. He tunes it DADAD; while not the most versatile of tunings, it is hard to go far wrong when accompanying tunes in D (a worrying attitude to take, I know - which is why I usually stick to playing tunes on the mandolin).
I don't see that there is anything fundamentally different from a 4-course bouzouki, apart from a nice D bass note when you need it. There are many different ways to play a bouzouki, and any of those is adaptable to a cittern. ONe thing I would say, however, is that citterns are typically made with larger bodies than bouzoukis (although not wexclusively - there are some big-bodied bouzoukis as well), giving a deep
...bassy tone. Whilst a smaller/shallower bodied bouzouki might respond well to a vigorous strumming style, this type of playing might be a bit overpowering on a larger instrument.
I had a beautiful cittern made for me recently by Davy Stuart. 21" scale tuned GDADA which I use for melody playing. It's loud and sweet and the high b is on the 2nd fret so it's easily accessible. GDADA is a good tuning for chords too.
I started with a 8-string bouzouki 8 years ago. Half a year ago I picked up my 1st 10-string.
My tuning was 8=GDAD and 10=DADAD. The sound of complete open strings in DADAD is amazing! I sold my 8-string to get money for the 10-string and until now I don´t miss it.
I won´t play without the deep bass string now - wether in DADAD nor in DGDAD.
So I would recommend a 10-string because tuned in DGDAD you can get the same style like the 8-strings - just ignoring the deep D-string.
To see some 10-string-samples in DADAD you should search for Aaron Jones or Malinky (Steve Byrne) at youtube or google. They play great stuff in DADAD.
8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I'm looking into getting a bouzouki, but I'm not sure which is better. Is there a huge difference in play style? Is it easy to switch between? Which is more popular?
---Corey
# Posted on November 19th 2009 by vacoreye
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
Don't quote me on this, but I don't think there really is such a thing as a 10-string bouzouki. I think what you may be referring to is a cittern, which is typically 10 strings/5 courses, but I've never played a cittern, so I couldn't tell you anything about it, but I am tempted to say that it's simply like playing a bouzouki but with another course either above or below the bouzouki range. Either that or someone who knows will provide a more meaningful post.
I will say this that is probably relevant. Are you looking to play more accompaniment or more melody? If you want to play more melody, you may want to consider an octave mandolin. The shorter scale will make melody playing a bit easier, but the tone may no be quite as rich as a bouzouki. If you're considering a 5-course instrument I figure you may be wanting to accompany more. To my knowledge the cittern gets used more for accompaniment than melody.
# Posted on November 19th 2009 by Jimmy B
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I use an Octave Mandolin tuned GDAD to back in this music. I play a cross picking style after Zan McCleod. Its alot different than guitar strumming and I enjoy playing it very much
it seems to me that the 4 course OM and bouzouki are more common. My guess would be that since the fiddle has G as its lowest note, your bass string on a 5 course cittern would not get as much use anyway
# Posted on November 19th 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
Yep, the bouzouki and OM are used alot more than the 10 string Cittern in Irish music.
Both are a good choice with the Cittern giving a more deep end sound. And both can be used for melody playing as well as accompaniment.
I tune GDAD on the bouzouki and DGDAD on the Cittern. I use the low D alot as an open drone type of thing on the latter.
Best of luck whatever you decide!
Seanie.
# Posted on November 19th 2009 by seaniemcg
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
Personally, I'll let you know when I have my 5-course 'zouk, which , as I'm going to build it, very slowly, might be a while.
However my thoughts, for the moment, are as follows;
1) the 5-course 'zouk is an extreme arrangement - you can't really string an instrument with a 660mm scale length to play much over the top E normally found, so the extra course is a bass pair - you can of course capo some way up the neck some of the time, and have the instrument more as a mandola with an extra pair. That's my plan anyway.
2 ) most people I know tune their citterns in some variation of either an open tuning, 4ths and 5ths alternately, or some variation of DADGAD without the bottom D, but most seem to use them as accompaniment instruments. This may only relate to the small number of people I know with citterns.
3 ) it is simply not true that you cannot play tunes on a 'zouk, but you just have to be prepared to throw your hand about a bit more than on a shorter-scale instrument.
# Posted on November 20th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I play a ten string because it has more of a growl with the extra bass pair of d's tuned dgdad although I know others playing dadad and dgdgd ,you pays your money and takes your choice.there no rules.
I think 8 strings can sound a bit wimpy some times and you don't have to play all ten strings at the same time. So you can play the ten string like an 8 if you wish but of course. The 8 string cannot play like a ten
# Posted on November 20th 2009 by bazouki dave
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I am looking more for accompaniment than melody, though that might change a bit as I get more proficient on the instrument. I'm still not sure which would be better for the style that I'd like to play, but I am leaning towards the cittern.
---Corey
# Posted on November 20th 2009 by vacoreye
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I have a friend who plays a 5-course cittern, which I sometimes borrow for the odd tune in sessions. He tunes it DADAD; while not the most versatile of tunings, it is hard to go far wrong when accompanying tunes in D (a worrying attitude to take, I know - which is why I usually stick to playing tunes on the mandolin).
I don't see that there is anything fundamentally different from a 4-course bouzouki, apart from a nice D bass note when you need it. There are many different ways to play a bouzouki, and any of those is adaptable to a cittern. ONe thing I would say, however, is that citterns are typically made with larger bodies than bouzoukis (although not wexclusively - there are some big-bodied bouzoukis as well), giving a deep
# Posted on November 20th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
...bassy tone. Whilst a smaller/shallower bodied bouzouki might respond well to a vigorous strumming style, this type of playing might be a bit overpowering on a larger instrument.
# Posted on November 20th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
Neck Phatness.
Plenty of BZ have well chunky necks. me no like.
a cittern would have to be worserer.
i do however like the idea of the extra drone course.
but for my money, i think this could be done away from the fretboard, like a harp guitar sorta thing - you dont need frets on a drone string.
# Posted on November 21st 2009 by rumpole
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
I had a beautiful cittern made for me recently by Davy Stuart. 21" scale tuned GDADA which I use for melody playing. It's loud and sweet and the high b is on the 2nd fret so it's easily accessible. GDADA is a good tuning for chords too.
# Posted on November 21st 2009 by cabers
Re: 8 string vs. 10 string bouzouki
Hey Corey,
I started with a 8-string bouzouki 8 years ago. Half a year ago I picked up my 1st 10-string.
My tuning was 8=GDAD and 10=DADAD. The sound of complete open strings in DADAD is amazing! I sold my 8-string to get money for the 10-string and until now I don´t miss it.
I won´t play without the deep bass string now - wether in DADAD nor in DGDAD.
So I would recommend a 10-string because tuned in DGDAD you can get the same style like the 8-strings - just ignoring the deep D-string.
To see some 10-string-samples in DADAD you should search for Aaron Jones or Malinky (Steve Byrne) at youtube or google. They play great stuff in DADAD.
Hope this helps!?
Tom
# Posted on November 25th 2009 by Tom Bloch