Bouzouki

The bouzouki is a plucked string instrument of Greek origin, closely related to the lute and mandolin. It is a prominent instrument in modern Greek music, particularly the rebetiko and laiko genres.

The instrument's characteristic sound comes from its long neck and metal strings, which are typically arranged in courses of two or three strings. Tuning varies, but common tunings include CFAD (C3-C4, F3-F3, A3-A3, D4-D4) for the trichordo (three-course) bouzouki and CFAD (C3-C3, F3-F3, A3-A3, D4-D4) or GDAE (G2-G2, D3-D3, A3-A3, E4-E4) for the tetrachordo (four-course) bouzouki. The tetrachordo bouzouki gained popularity in the mid-20th century and is now the more common type.

The body of the bouzouki is typically pear-shaped or boat-shaped, though variations exist. It is constructed from staves of wood, typically maple, walnut, or rosewood. The soundboard is usually made of spruce and has a soundhole, often decorated with intricate inlays.

Historically, the bouzouki was brought to Greece by Greek immigrants from Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) in the early 20th century. It evolved from instruments of the mandolin family and has since become a quintessential symbol of Greek popular music. Notable bouzouki players include Manolis Chiotis, Vassilis Tsitsanis, and Giorgos Zambetas.