Description: The balalaika is a short-necked lute having a distinct triangular body and belongs to the chordophone family of musical instruments. It is primarily found through out Russia, Byelorussia and in Ukraine. In rural areas small ensembles who range from trio to sextet would include the instrumentation of a small folk ensemble would be the balalaika, skripka (fiddle), accordion and the buben (tambourine). The precise origins of the balalaika are disputed however many people believe that the balalaika was invented from the local serfs under the existence of a cruel land lord to brighten their lives. The balalaika was enjoyed by jesters, clowns to street performers and it spread throughout Russia with great popularity. Written documentation of the balalaika dates back to 1715.

Vasilye Vasilyevich Andrev [b. 15th of January 1861 or 1918]: A noted Luthier, violin maker and musician. Originally the balalaika had up to 16 frets arranged in a diatonic scale and tied frets from animal gut. Through several alterations and improvements the balalaika today includes 17 chromatic frets arranged in semitones, three mechanical tuning gears. Vasilye Andriev is considered the father of the academic-folk instrument movement in Eastern Europe. The standardization of the balalaika took root in the 1880s and to whom he collaborated with the violin maker V. Ivanov. Also at the same time he is responsible for reviving the domra, gusli and even some percussion instruments. Andrev arranged and re-arranged many Russian folk songs in which became the standards for many balalaika ensembles and orchestras today. Andrev was also was prolific in composing many of his own compositions.

The Balalaika Family: The standard orchestral format for the balalaika is arranged from prima, secundo, alto, tenor and bass. The prima usually plays the lead or solo. Ensembles for the balalaika are quite flexible ranging from solo, duet, trio to full fledged orchestras. In the 1930s a picollo balalaika was quite common, today the picollo balalaika is quite rare. Many ensembles would often include a bayan accordion and or garmoshka accordion. For the balalaika orchestras their repertoire consists of arranged traditional folk songs to symphonic compositions from European classical composers such Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Bach, Schubert and Bartok.

Standard Balalaika Tunings

Piccolo	B-E-A
Prima	A-E-E
Secundo	A-A-D or G-B-D
Alto	E-E-A
Bass	E-A-D
Contra Bass	E-A-D

Alternate Balalaika Tunings during Andrev's time

	A-E-A	A Major	C#-G-A
		A Major	E-C#-A
		A Min / C Maj 6	G-A-C
	A-D-A	C Min / C Maj	C-C-G
	B-E-A	F Major	C-F-A
		F# Minor	C#-F#-A
		D Major	D-F-A
		D# Major	D-F#-A
		F# Major	D#-F#-A
		F Major	E#-F#-A

Anatomy of the Balalaika: The components for the balalaika include a body, neck, fingerboard usually having 17 frets, a sound hole, a rosette, three tuning gears and a nut and a moveable bridge. In rural areas some balalaika's do have 3 double strings. The quality of the balalaika ranges from home made to to professional concert quality instruments.

Citations: Bibliography: New Grove Dictionary of Music by Stanley Sadie Book 1, Page 113, Balalaika, book A-F. ISBN number: 0-943818-05-02. The Balalaika and how to play it, by Bibs Ekkel ~ A comprehensive Guide & Tutor, covering Elementary to advanced level Recommended further study ~ V. K. Galakhov (of Orel Conservatoire): "Various Tunings of the Folk Balalaika" printed as part the collection "Studies in Musical Folklore" ("Izuchenie muzykalnogo folklora") Rostov-on-Don, 1986. Discography: Pan Records CD2002, Sigrai Vanya (Play Vanya) is a good compilation of rural Russian instrumental and vocal music. web sites: Bibs Ekkel Russian Music Services > Bibs Ekkel & Dmitri Belinskiy article about Balalaika > Barnaya.com > Balalaika And Dombra Association of America > History of the Balalaika [Article in Russian language -using google translate].