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— Long reads from the atelier

Blog.

Field notes, workshop visits and long reads from the atelier.

Handpan in its travel case – melodic layer instrument for a sound bath practitioner's set
— Instruments · 5 min

Building a Sound Bath Set: Which Instruments Practitioners Actually Use

Most sound baths run on crystal bowls and gongs. Here's where handpan, steel tongue drum, and frame drums genuinely fit — and how to build a set in stages.
Electric baglama – solid-body saz with built-in pickups for stage amplification
— Buying Guide · 5 min

Electric Baglama and Saz Pickups: Amplifying a Traditional Instrument Without Losing Its Voice
Buzuq – Levantine long-necked lute with movable frets, compared to the Greek bouzouki
— Instruments · 6 min

Bouzouki vs Buzuq: Two Long-Necked Lutes, Two Traditions
Bongo cajon – box drum with bongo-style drumheads
— Buying Guide · 5 min

The Cajon in World Percussion: Choosing Between a Classic Cajon and a Bongo Cajon
Qanun – trapezoidal zither with mandal levers
— Buying Guide · 5 min

How to Choose a Qanun: Turkish vs Arabic Systems, Mandals, and What Your Budget Actually Buys
Persian daf frame drum – ornamented head and metal jingle rings
— Instruments · 7 min

Frame Drums of the World: Daf, Bendir, Riq, and Mazhar Compared
Steel tongue drum – geometric mandala engraved D Kurd scale drum
— Buying Guide · 6 min

Steel Tongue Drum Buyer’s Guide: Scales, Sizes, and How It Differs From a Handpan
Greek bouzouki – tetrachordo body and long neck
— Buying Guide · 8 min

The Greek Bouzouki: Trichordo vs Tetrachordo — A Complete Guide to Choosing Your First One
Oud bowl back – how the oud became the European lute
— Uncategorized · 5 min

Ziryab and the Birth of the Lute: How the Oud Reached Europe
Turkish oud – maqam basics for beginners
— Uncategorized · 4 min

Oud Maqam Basics for Beginners