Rebab

The rebab is a type of string instrument that has been played for many years. 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. It traveled to places like North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and even some parts of Europe.

One interesting fact 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.

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

Variants

There are three main types of Rebab instruments. One type has a long neck and a spike at the bottom to rest on the ground, 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 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 from Muslim culture. It is important in Arabic Bedouin music. Old books describe it, and travelers wrote about it too. In Iraq, people call it "joza" because its sound box comes from a coconut shell. A similar instrument, the Kamanche, is used in Persian music. The rebab traveled to many places, like Southeast Asia, through old trading routes.

Southeast Asia

In the Indonesian gamelan, the rebab is an important instrument. 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.

In Malaysia, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, the Rebab looks different. It has three strings, three tuning pegs, and a decorative head. It is used in traditional music groups.