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The KANUN is a Turkish stringed instrument similar
to the ZITHER. The word, KANUN, is translated
CANON or LAW in English, and is considered the
basic Turkish instrument. There is an evidence
that the KANUN has been in use continously since
the ninth century. It is commonly believed that
the KANUN was invented by the Turkish scientist
FARABİ who lived between the years 870-950.
 DESCRIPTION
The KANUN has a trapeziodal shape with an average
length of 38 inches (83.6 cm) at its long side,13.5
inches (29.7cm) at the short side, and a width
at 16.5 inches (36.3cm) gradually tapering to
4 inches (8.8 cm) at the narrow end.
There are an average of 26 different notes(possibly
up to 30 notes),and for each note there are
two or three (mostly three) strings for a total
of from 74 to 81 strings. The total range is
up to 3.5 octaves. The KANUN is constructed
by skilled craftsmen in workshops in Turkey.
Everything is made by hand using up to seven
different kinds of wood.The top is made of sycamore
wood, the back of pine wood, the bridge is made
of maple. The design on the sides and top is
cut out of rosewood and white pine. The sound
board is completed by using either fish or calf
leather, giving the KANUN its rich resonance.
The strings are made of six different diameters
of high grade of nylon. The tuning pegs and
the peglock are made of hardwood, either rosewood
or ebony. The small tuning levers, or tuning
keys, called MANDAL, are made of an alloy of
iron and alpaca which are cut into shape and
highly polished.
The KANUN has a unique system for tuning.First,using
the pegs,all three strings for each note are
tuned to a simple major diatonic scale with
no sharps or flats in equal temperament like
the modern piano.Then for each note there are
from four to twelve MANDAL which can make from
one sixth to one half step difference in the
pitch. With the help of these MANDAL’s one can
use also all quarter tones at the intervals.
PERFORMANCE
PRACTICE
The performer holds the KANUN horizontally on
the lap,then plucks all three strings for each
note simultaneously using plectra (in Turkish
MIZRAP), one fastened to each index finger by
an adjustable metal ring. Performers may use
a tremolo technique(rapid back & forth motions)
to extend the sound. The performer manipulates
the MANDAL with fingers to play the necessary
pitches to produce the different scale patterns
during the performance depending on the mode
of the composition (depending on the MAKAM of
the composition) and its modulations similar
to the technique of the modern pedal harp which
uses foot pedals to change pitches.There are
twenty-four unequal intervals to the octave
in Turkish Music, compared with twelve equal
intervals in Western Art Music.
In recent times, performers have also used all
ten fingers without the plectra to create different
and soft sounds with the KANUN. They use the
finger pads to pluck several notes at once in
a chordal pattern similar to the Classical guitar,
or one note at a time in arpeggio patterns similar
to the Harp. Thus the KANUN can be used to play
music written in any key an any style from Eastern
Music to Western classical to Jazz and styles
around the world.
A successful KANUN performer must spend many
hours of concentrated practice to learn and
perfect the techniques.
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The Kanun