Dutar

Sound and Character

The sound of the dutar is warm, soft, velvety, calming, and deeply acoustic. Since the strings were traditionally made of silk and played with alternating downward and upward finger strokes, the instrument lacks a sharp attack, creating a smooth, rippling texture.

Design and Features

The pear-shaped body is assembled from thin wooden ribs (often mulberry), transitioning into a very long thin neck with numerous frets. Only two silk (or nylon) strings are strung.

Genres Used In

• Music of the bakhshis (epic tales of Central Asia)
• Uzbek, Turkmen, and Uyghur folk music
• Central Asian ethno-folk