Gusle: Albanian musical instrument

The gusle is a stringed musical instrument that has been used traditionally by the Dinardes region of the Balkans. This musical instrument is always accompanied by singing and epic poetry. The player of this musical instrument is meant to hold the gusle vertically between his knees with the left hand finger on the string and he should never press the string to the neck in order to give out a unique and related sound.

            

The term gusle is a common term to all Slavic languages in the world and it connotes a musical instrument that has strings. It is not the same material as the Russian gusle which is constructed to be in psaltery-like instrument.

            

The design of this instrument is alike in every way, only the design of the neck and head differs with national or ethnic intentions. Different characteristics of vocality have been noted in the regions of southeast Europe. As many different epic poems are used to accompany this musical instrument, the content of the stories of each nation or ethnic group is also different, in other word, the variety of the guslar music are based on cultural foundations.

            

The gusle is made of a wooden sound box, the maple being considered as the best material that is covered with an animal skin and a neck that has complex and difficultly carved head. In order to create a dramatic sharp sound that is expensive and difficult to master, a bow is pulled over the string.

            

The equivalent to the gusle is the Albanian lahuta that is being used by the Gheg Albanians of the northern Albania for the singing and production of their epic music. The musical instrument is played by a lapsodi and the use of this musical instrument has been made worse and now only those in the villages that still mastered it can play the instrument.