Qanun
Zither-like plucked instrument with numerous strings, common in Arabic, Turkish, and Greek music.
What it means
The qanun is a zither-like plucked instrument with a trapezoid body and numerous strings, usually tuned in groups of three. It is played with plectra attached to the index fingers of both hands, with the body resting on the lap or a stand.
Musical use
The qanun is central to Arabic, Turkish, and Greek music and is played both as a solo instrument and in ensembles of classical Arabic and Ottoman music. Small retuning levers, called mandal, on each group of strings allow the pitch to be changed minutely, in microtonal steps, to switch between the various modes (maqamat). This capacity for the finest pitch adjustment distinguishes the qanun from Western, fixed chromatically tuned zithers.
The qanun should be distinguished from the Chinese guzheng and the Russian gusli, with which it shares the basic principle of the plucked board zither, but from which it differs markedly in tuning, playing technique, and musical context.
Performance practice
On the qanun, practise the even alternating stroke of both index fingers first before using the retuning levers for microtones. When playing, listen closely to the fine pitch differences between the modes that are characteristic of Arabic and Turkish music.