How to play the dombra?

The Kalmyk dombra chichirdyk is a folk instrument with a bright, unusual sounding, which has a rich history. Similar instruments are common in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Asian countries. Dombra, of course, is not as popular as the guitar, but a person who has mastered the art of playing it will not be left without attention. Therefore, it is important to understand how to learn how to play the Kalmyk dombra, what knowledge is required for this.

Initial mastering of the instrument involves 4 steps.

1. It is necessary to learn how to sit properly with the instrument. Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Place your right foot on top of your left and place the instrument comfortably on top. Landing errors can affect not only the sound quality, but also the health of the student.
2. Customization skills. The most commonly used string tuning is the fourth tuning, when an interval of four steps (2.5 tones) is formed between the sounds of the upper and lower strings.
3. Practicing combat techniques. Sound is produced with the index finger nail, followed by a downward movement of the forearm. The fingers on the hand remain slightly clenched, but not into a fist.
4. Mastering musical notation. Knowing the notes, timing, fingering and other subtleties of recording music will help you learn new pieces on your own.

This instrument is played while sitting. The back position is strictly 90 degrees. The dombra body fits on the leg. The tool is placed at an angle of 45 degrees. In this case, the head of the neck should be at shoulder level or slightly higher. Raising the dombra too high will make the game difficult. A lower position of the instrument neck will cause the back to slouch.

When playing the dombra, the functions of the hands are clearly distributed. The task with the left hand is to clamp the strings at certain frets on the fretboard. It is placed so that the elbow is at the level of the instrument's neck. The thumb is placed on the top of the neck in the area of ​​the thicker string (top). He will be responsible for clamping this string. Moreover, the finger should not stick out.

The rest of the fingers are placed in a row from the bottom. They are used to clamp a thin string. As a result, the dombra's neck is between the thumb and forefinger.

To hold the string without falsehood, you need to visually divide the fret into two parts. The finger with the string should be fixed in that part of the fret, which is closer to the body of the dombra. If you clamp the string strictly on a metal bar or on the part of the fret closer to the head, the sound will be rattling and slurred, which will affect the overall impression of the game.

The right hand is used to strike the strings. To do this, the hand is turned to the strings by 20-30 degrees, and the fingers are bent into rings. Wherein pinky, ring and middle are in the same row. The index finger moves a little closer, and the thumb is inserted into the resulting gap, forming a kind of heart.

The strings are struck on the nail. The downward movement is carried out with the index finger, and the return upward falls on the thumb. Pinching with the pad of your finger will cause the sound to lose brightness. Also, do not touch the deck with your nails. Otherwise, the music will be complemented by unpleasant overtones. Only the hand is involved in the movements. The shoulder and elbow area does not take part in the game.

There are only two strings on the dombra, which are regulated by the ears located on the head. Their pitch coincides with the note "D" of the first octave (thin string) and "A" of the small octave (thicker string).

Here are a few ways to get started setting up.

The device is attached to the head of the dombra. The display rotates at an angle for easy viewing. For the lower string, the sound "re" (Latin letter D) is set. If the indicator lights up green when the string is playing, it means that the tuning is correct. If the sound of the string does not match the note, the display will turn orange or red. The top string is tuned to "A" (letter A).

There are several programs for tuning stringed instruments, including dombra. You can take one of them, for example, Aptuner.

Its sound should form an octave with the top string. Then you first need to tune the "A" string, and then use it to tune "D". The instrument is tuned correctly if the top string is clamped at the 5th fret and the bottom string is open in unison.

Often, another instrument is used to tune the dombra, including a piano or guitar. This is practiced when playing in an ensemble.

Studying musical notation is a very important step in the development of a musician. Like the ability to read, knowledge of notes allows you not to be limited to a certain set of melodies learned by hand. Different technologies are used depending on the age of the students.

For a preschool child who cannot read and write, notes can be explained using color combinations and geometric shapes. Colors are used to distinguish between different pitches. The circle, star, semicircle, triangle and square are fingers. There is also a system for performing technicians. For example, the calm state of the strings is indicated by a cross. And a check mark implies a blow up.

Starting from school age, it is worth thinking about mastering musical notation in the traditional version, which includes a whole range of knowledge. Let's list the main ones.

• Music staff. Taking into account the tuning of the Kalmyk dombra, it is enough to master the notes of the treble clef.
• Durations of notes and rhythmic patterns. Without this, competent mastering of music is impossible.
• Meters and dimensions. Feeling the alternation of strong and weak beats is important for the perception and reproduction of various musical genres.
• Fingering. The performance of virtuoso compositions directly depends on the ability to correctly place the fingers on the instrument, as well as to synchronize the movement of the hands.
• Dynamic shades. A person who does not feel the difference between a quiet and a loud sound, the performance will be monotonous and inexpressive. It is like reading a poem "without expression."
• Performing techniques. Playing the Kalmyk dombra involves the use of a series of techniques characteristic of this instrument. They can be mastered independently or under the guidance of an experienced teacher.

Learning to play an instrument is unthinkable without proper landing, as well as understanding the basics of sound production. It is considered important to know the tuning of the instrument, the ability to independently tune by ear, with a tuning fork or with the help of an electronic device. Some musicians can play several compositions on the dombra, having mastered them by hand. But mastering a wider repertoire is impossible without musical literacy. The way it is studied depends on the age and skills of the students. Therefore, you should find the best method according to your capabilities and preferences.

To learn how to play the Kalmyk dombra, see the next video.