çifteli: Albania musical instrument

The çifteli is a pluncked string musical instrument that has two major strings and is mostly played by the Gheg people of the northern and central and Kosovo.

On many occasion, çifteli is frequently used by the Albanians in weddings and concertsand by many musician and particularly accompanies Albanian epics and ballads.

This musical instrument has different sizes but are mostly tuned to B and E. The lower string is played as a drone normally and the melody is played on the higher string. The çifteli is an instrument that has hole on the center but unlike most, it is not fretted in a chromatic scale but is based on musical scales with seven notes to the octave which is five tones and two semitones.

The term çifteli is assumed to have come from the Turkish language “cift” meaning “double” and “tel” meaning “string” and also assumed to have been derived from the Albanian language “cift” meaning “pair”

The origin of çifteli is not quite certain as the Turkish and Persians are claiming to have originated this musical instrument including the Central Asia. The musical instrument that has entered into a modern shape is no longer being used by the Central Asia or Anatolia.