Balaban: Iran musical instrument

The balaban which can also be called “balaman” is a cylindrically bored, double-reed wind musical instrument that is about 35cm long and has seven fingering holes and a thumb hole. This musical instrument is mostly played in the eastern part of Azerbaijan and also in Iran and in the republic of Azerbaijan. It is called duduk in the Azerbaijani local language.

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The balaban is made either from mulberry or any other hard woods such as walnut. The bore in the instrument is about 2cm in diameter. The double reed is produced out of a single tube of cane that is about 6cm long and pressed flat at one of its ends. The player is meant to use the air he stored in his cheeks to keep playing the instrument while he breathes in air into his lungs.

The balaban is made up of a stem, a reed, a cap and a regulator.  The stem of the balaban which is about 280-320mm is a cylindrical tube made mainly from apricot wood or sometimes hazel, pear, mulberry or boxwood. The process of shaping the balaban stem is known as “balaban chakma.” The upper end of the stem is made to have round shape while the lower end is made to be sharp. The bore is 10mm in diameter and has eight holes and these holes are also called follows. The reed also known as “dil” is made of club-rush that grows in an arid area and is inserted in the upper end of the instrument. It is flat and appears in the shape of double reed. It is usually tied to regulator of about 60mm long and 10mm wide that is made of a willow or from a grape branch cut lengthways. The reed is fixed by a collar-like regulator on one side and a 7-12mm pivot is dropped on the other side. The cap which is also known as “gapag” is made from willow or hazel and sometimes made from mulberry is put on the reed to avoid any damage on it. To make sure it is not lost, it is tied to the regulator.

The balaban can be used on solemn occasions such as weddings and holiday celebrations. The musical instrument can as well be accompanied by the percussion instrument and can be used in pastoral songs and funeral music. Some types of the balaban are also in use in ashik music.