Rebab

The rebab is a type of string instrument that has been played for many centuries. It is usually bowed, meaning a player uses a stick to make the strings vibrate, but sometimes it is plucked by hand. The name rebab comes from Arabic and has many different spellings such as rebap, rubob, and rababa.

This instrument spread across many parts of the world through old trading routes used by people who followed Islam. It traveled to places like North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and even some parts of Europe.

One of the most interesting facts about the rebab is that it is one of the earliest known bowed instruments. People have been playing it since at least the 8th century, and it is believed to be the ancestor of many other bowed and string instruments we know today.

For a similar instrument from Central Asia, you can read about the Rubab (instrument). For the rebab used in north Indian music, see the Seni rebab.

Variants

There are mainly three types of Rebab instruments. One type has a long neck and a spike at the bottom to rest on the ground, often called a spike fiddle. Another type has a shorter neck and a special shape, and some of these can be plucked instead of bowed.

The Rebab we will focus on has a small rounded body covered in parchment or sheepskin, a long thin neck, and one to three strings. It is held upright, either on the lap or the floor, and played with a curved bow. Though it has a lovely, voice-like sound, it was later replaced by the violin in many places. The Iraqi version of this instrument has four strings.

Main article: Maghreb rebab

Main articles: robab, rubab

Main article: Byzantine lyra

Main article: Cretan lyra

Main article: rebec

Main articles: crwth, jouhikko, talharpa, gue

Main article: parchment

Main article: sheepskin

Main article: neck

Main article: pegbox

Main article: strings

Main article: fingerboard

Main article: bow

Main article: violin

Main article: octave

Main article: kemenche

Main article: Iraqi

Construction

The Rebab is used in many different music groups and styles because it is found in many places. It is made and played a bit differently depending on where you are. In places like Iran and Ahvaz, the Rebab is larger and sounds similar to the viola da gamba. But in areas farther west, it is usually smaller and higher-pitched.

The shape of the Rebab can change a lot. In Java, it might be very fancy and carved, while in Egypt, it can be a simple two-string instrument called the "fiddle of the Nile." Some Rebabs have bodies made from half a coconut shell. Others have a metal soundbox, and the front might be covered partly with beaten copper and partly with cowskin. It also has an endpin, like a cello.

History

The rebab is a bowed string instrument that developed in Muslim culture. It has been an important part of Arabic Bedouin music and was described by travelers in old books. In Iraq, it is called "joza" because its sound box is made from a coconut shell. A similar instrument called the Kamanche exists in Persian music. The rebab spread to many places, including Southeast Asia, through old trading routes.

Southeast Asia

In the Indonesian gamelan, the rebab is an important instrument that adds extra notes to the main tune. It is a two-string bowed instrument with a wooden body, sometimes made from a coconut shell, covered with thin stretched skin. The two strings are tuned to sound a fifth apart, and the bow is made from horse hair, held in a special way by the player.

In Malaysia, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, the Rebab looks quite different. It has three strings, three tuning pegs, a decorative head, and a skin made from a cow's stomach. It is used in traditional music groups and in special healing rituals.