Zurna Stopper

Zurna Stopper x 2 – Universal Mouth Stoppers for Zurna

Makes it easier to play

Comes in a pack of 2.

Colour is random from current stock

Weight 5g

Dimensions: 5.5cm diameter, 3mm thick approx / 2 inch diameter, 0.1 inches thick

Material: Plastic

Use: The hole in the mouth stopper is designed that you dont have to remove your reed. Insert past the reed and you are ready to play.

The mouth stopper helps you maintain mouth position while playing.

Zurna Background

The Zurna is a double reed wind instrument played in central Eurasia, Western Asia and parts of North Africa. It is usually accompanied by a davul (bass drum) in Anatolian and Assyrian folk music.

The zurna, a relative of the oboe, is found almost everywhere where the common reed grows because it uses a short cylindrical reed that is tied to a conical brass tube on one end, flattened to a narrow slit on the other end as a source of the sound.

It requires high pressure to give any tone at all and when it does, it is almost constantly loud, high pitched, sharp, and piercing. The need for high pressure makes it suitable for playing without stop using circular breathing. A small pacifier-style disk that the lips may lean on helps the lip muscles that hold the high-pressure air, rest, and recover during long non-stop playing sessions. The combination of constant volume and non-stop playing makes the zurna unsuitable for emphasis of the rhythm. It has therefore been played almost invariably along with big drums that both provide the rhythm and the lower frequencies that travel further away than the zurna’s loud, high pitched sound. It has a cylindrical bore, and a bell opening out in a parabolic curve, thus adapted to reflect the sound straight ahead.

Because of its loud and highly directional sound as well as accompaniment by big drums, it has historically been played outdoors, during festive events such as weddings and public celebrations. It has also been used to gather crowds in order to make official announcements. This use of the zurna as a token of the ruling power developed into Janissary bands and eventually into military music. Seven holes on the front, and one thumb hole, provide a range of over one octave including some transposition

Links

Demonstration of zurna playing

More Info and diagram of parts

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