Rebab: Iraq musical instrument

The rebab is a kind of string musical instrument that is named no later than the 8^th century and spread through Islamic trading routes over much of Northern Africa, the Middle East and some parts of Europe and also the Far East. The bowed musical instrument usually has a spike at the bottom to rest on the ground and that is why the musical instrument is called spike fiddle in some places, but plucked versions of the instrument like the kabuli rebab also can be found in some areas. Meanwhile, apart from the version of the instrument called spike fiddle, there also exist a version of the instrument that have a pear-shaped body that is analogous to the Byzantine lyra and the Cretan lyra. The Cretan lyra travelled to the western part of Europe in the 11^th century and was called rebec.

source of picture: aboutrebab.wordpress.com

Though the musical instrument is valued for its voice-like tone, it has a limited range and was gradually replaced throughout much of the Arab world by the violin and the kemenche.

The rebab is used in wide variety of musical groups and genres, corresponding with the wide distribution of the instrument. The instrument is constructed and performed slightly differently in various areas. In the Southeast Asia, the musical instrument is a large musical instrument that has a range that is analogous to the viola da gamba, whereas versions of the musical instrument further west seems to be smaller and higher in their pitches. The body of the instrument varies from being decoratively carved, as in Java, to simpler versions like the 2-strings Egyptian fiddle of the Nile may have its body carved with the use of half coconut shell. The more sophisticated version of the musical instrument has a metal sound box and the front of the instrument could be half-covered with the use of beaten copper and half of the instrument will be covered with the use of cow skin.