Tamburica - Types of Tamburica

Types of Tamburica

The number of strings on a tamburica varies and it may have single or double-coursed strings or a mixture of both. Double-coursed strings are tuned in unison. The basic forms of tamburica are (Serbo-Croatian name is given with Hungarian name in the parenthesis, if different):

• The samica - three double strings.
• The prim (prím) - one double string, G, and three single strings E, A, D. This is the smallest tamburica (about 50 cm long), but is very loud. It is mostly used as a lead instrument or harmonizing instrument. The bisernica (from Serbo-Croatian "biser" meaning "pearl") is almost identical but may have two double strings and two single strings.
• The bas-prim or brač (basszprím or brács) - two double strings and two single strings, a slightly bigger, lower instrument than the bisernica but played in a similar fashion.
• The čelović - two double sintrings and two single strings.
• The bugarija or kontra (brácsó or kontra) - one double string D and three single strings, similar to a guitar, mostly used for. A bugarija has five strings, the bottom pair are D, the middle string is A and the top two are tuned F# and F#.
• The čelo (cselló) - four strings, similar in size to the bugarija and used for dynamics.
• The bas or berda (tamburabőgő), also called begeš (bőgős) - four strings. It is the largest instrument in the tamburica family, and is similar to contrabass. It can only be played standing and is used for playing bass lines.

There is a view that the first tambura orchestra was formed in Hungary in the 19th century. The instruments' names came from the Hungarian names of the musical instruments of the symphony orchestra ("cselló" meaning cello, "bőgő" meaning contrabass) and from the Hungarian Gipsy bands (bőgős, prím, kontra). These orchestras soon spread to what is now Bosnia, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

• Types of tamburica

• prim (bisernica)

• bas-prim (brač)

• čelović

• bugarija (kontra)

• čelo

• bas (berda, begeš)