The Settar The instruction manuals and transcription of the radif made for the tar can also be used for the smaller instrument the settar,since the number of frets and the tuning are identical for both. Contrary to the literal meaning of its name,which is 3 string,the modern settar has 4 ,two of steel and two of brass,tuned to c,g,cc, The range is the same as that of the tar c to g. Although the system of frets and notation are similar for tar and the settar,the settar is an independent instrument ,not simply a smaller tar. In contrast to the parchment -covered,double-bellied tar,the settar has a pear -shaped body made entirely of wood and is of much lighter construction. There are a number of small holes carved in the face and sides of the belly to increase the resonance. An average settar is 85 cm. long,20 cm.wide,and 15 cm.deep. The player uses no plecrum,but instead strikes the strings with the nail of his right index finger,which he has let grow long. Since the settar is much more delicate than the tar,iis sound iscorrespondingly softer. The tone of the settar does not carry from one room to the next.furthermore,to be appreciated it must be played before a gathering that is both small and quiet.Thus the settar is ideal for the intimate settings characteristic of art music and for this reason it is often considered the most typical instrument.of all instrument used today ,the settar has the longest history. its predecessors,belonging to the pandore family,were depicted in Middle Estern ,during the 2 millenium an especaily clear example of the ancient pandore is the 18 century-terra-cotta figure of a man plucking a long-necking stringed instrument that was found at susa and is now in the Louvre. During the Achaemenid and Sassanian periods, there is no source material for the pandore. It reappears as the tambur,having grown in importance along with lute. The settar seems to have relinguished its popularity to the tar during the Qajar period 18to20 centuries,and it does not often appear in Qajar drawings and painting. The settar is always used as a solo instrument . It is not include in orchertras of native instrument ,nor is it frequenly used to accompany a singer. femous player 1- Mirza Abdollah 2- Ahmad Abadi 3- Jalal Zolfonon 4-Mahamreza lotfi 5-Hossien alizadeh 6-Daryosh talayi |
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| Theory of music |
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| Settar |