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Tar

The Iranian Tar (Persian Tar) is a cornerstone of Persian classical music — a fretted plucked lute known for its expressive double-bowl voice and intricate Tehran-school craftsmanship. The instrument shapes the melodic foundation of dastgah-based Persian classical repertoire, ensemble work, and solo improvisation traditions. Its long neck and three double courses of strings give players an exceptional dynamic range, from delicate melancholy to passionate intensity.

Most Iranian tars use a double-bowl body carved from aged mulberry wood, joined to a long walnut neck with twenty-five adjustable gut or nylon frets. The soundbox is covered with a stretched lambskin membrane that gives the tar its warm, resonant projection — distinctly Persian and unlike any other lute family. The brass mezrab (plectrum), held between thumb and index finger, drives the rhythmic vocabulary and ornamental phrasing that define dastgah practice.

Iranian classical and folk repertoire — the seven dastgah systems and their derivative gushe — sit at the core of tar practice. The instrument also appears in contemporary Persian fusion projects and as a solo voice in concert improvisation (avaz accompaniment, taqsim-style improvisation). Master players such as Ali-Akbar Shahnazi, Jalil Shahnaz, and Hossein Alizadeh shaped the modern repertoire and continue to influence today’s tar tradition.

At Tapadum, our Persian tar collection is curated from master luthiers working in the Tehran tradition — including Mohamad Hatami, Amin Golestani, and other established Persian makers. Each instrument is carefully selected and individually quality-controlled to the standards of its class — from entry-level tars suited to those discovering dastgah music, through intermediate instruments for advancing students, to professional concert tars for stage performers and recording use. We test tuning stability across the fretted neck, mezrab response, and lambskin membrane integrity before each instrument leaves our Brisighella, Italy showroom.

Browse our Persian Tar collection alongside the Persian Setar family, and explore the wider Persian Instruments category for related string, percussion, bowed, and wind instruments. Free Shipping & 15-day return apply across the EU.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the Iranian Tar and the Persian Setar?
The Iranian Tar has a larger double-bowl body, a lambskin membrane, three double courses of strings (six strings total), and is played with a brass mezrab plectrum — its voice is bold and ensemble-ready. The Persian Setar is smaller, with a wooden soundboard, four strings, and is played fingerstyle — its voice is intimate and best suited to solo introspective playing. Both belong to the Persian lute family but serve different musical contexts in dastgah practice.
Why does the Iranian Tar use a lambskin membrane?
The lambskin membrane couples the strings' vibration directly to a flexible acoustic surface, creating the tar's characteristic warm bloom and sustain. Wooden soundboards (as on the setar or guitar) reflect sound more rigidly; the lambskin gives Persian tar its unmistakable breath-like decay — essential to expressive dastgah phrasing and the instrument's role in Iranian classical music.
How is the Iranian Tar tuned?
The Iranian Tar has three double courses of strings — six strings total — typically tuned in fourths. The most common Persian tuning from low to high is C–G–C across the three courses, with each course tuned in unison or octaves depending on the player's preference and the dastgah being performed. The twenty-five movable frets allow precise quarter-tone adjustment essential to Persian classical microtonality.
Which Iranian Tar is right for beginners?
For students starting out with the Iranian Tar, the key considerations are tuning stability across the twenty-five frets, a comfortable neck profile that doesn't fatigue the left hand over long practice sessions, and reliable mezrab response. Entry-level tars should offer the same fretless precision needed for dastgah microtonality as professional concert instruments — the difference lies in wood selection, age of the mulberry, finish detail, and tonal refinement rather than playability. All instruments in our collection pass individual quality control before shipping, so even entry-level tars are concert-capable as you progress through your practice.
Tar

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