Description: The tar is classified under the chordophone family of instruments. And the branch of chordophones called “long-necked lutes” henceforth the long distance from the tuning pegs to body. There are two types of tar which will be distinguished on my site. The Persian tar and the Caucasian tar (found in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Tibriz North-Western Iran, North Eastern Turkey) even as remote as Nuristan which translates as the "land of light" in Afghanistan. The origins of the word tar its self may have came from ancient sanskrit "tarah". However in Farsi the word tar means "string".

Tar in Iran: In Iran the tar is one of the most ancient stringed instruments perhaps around the time or second to the time of the tanbur. In Persian classical music or “Radiff” the tar does have many different tunings in each tuning corresponds to a particular mode or destgah. The technique of playing the tar is quite extensive, rhythmic and sophisticated. The plectrum is quite different then what we see in the west. Traditionally the plectrum is made of bone. This type of plectrum is made of brass and has a ball of wax over the top of the plectrum so its easy to grip and hold during performance. The tar is one of the principle instruments for the Persian radiff, along with sehtar, santur, kamenche, ney, barbat (oud) and so on. The tar is played either solo, accompanied by vocals in performance both male or female vocalists. . Although both types of tar have similarities there are considerable difference amongst the two types of tar. Sometimes the tar maybe called a Shiraz tar.Tar in Iran: In Iran the tar is one of the most ancient stringed instruments perhaps around the time or second to the time of the tanbur. In Persian classical music or “Radiff” the tar does have many different tunings in each tuning corresponds to a particular mode or destgah. The tar in Iran is highly admired as "the sultan of the instruments" and has a special place amongst Persian musical instruments.

Tar Tunings

	C-G-C

Playing the tar: In Persian music the tar is held on the lap whilst sitting on the floor, chair or stool. The technique of playing the tar is quite extensive, rhythmic and sophisticated. The plectrum is quite different then what we see in the west. Traditionally the plectrum is made of bone. It’s basically a brass plectrum with a wax ball molded on the top of the brass plectrum as a grip. The tar is one of the principle instruments for radiff, along with sehtar, santur, Kamenche, ney, barbat (oud) and so on. The tar is played either solo, accompanied by vocals this maybe male or female, or maybe also accompanied by duet, with other tar, or other instruments. Or accompanied by "orchestra" or ensemble.

Construction of the Persian Tar: In it's present form, this tar has appeared in the 18 to 19-century has the range of 2 and 11/2 octaves. In the old days prior to the 18th century, the Persian tar had only 5-strings. The sixth string was added by one of the great tar players' Darvish Khan. The contemporary tar has 28 adjustable gut frets. The Persian tar has 25 movable gut frets in which each are divided into 15 microtonal intervals (Page 526, Book 3 New Grove dictionary of music). The materials used to construct the tar are mulberry wood, bone, sturgeon skin. On my specimen of Persian-tar, each of the frets are tied on by hand and is of animal gut stretched out into string. The skin of the black-sea sturgeon skin is used as the membrane over the sound whole as a means to amplify the acoustics of the tar.

On the Persian Tar or Shiraz Tar: {which my specimen of tar is] each of the frets are tied on by hand and is of animal gut stretched out into string. The skin of the black-sea sturgeon skin is used as the membrane over the sound whole as a means to amplify the acoustics of the tar because the membrane is favored for the elasticity for applying the membrane onto the sound hole and the accoustic-resonance of the sturgeon skin. On the fingerboard bone inlay runs down parallel from body to peg-box (where tuning pegs are located). The tuning pegs are handcarved and wooden a feature still preasent on Persian instruments today. The strings are of steel, copper, brass or classified as "white", "yellow", "brown". The bridge is movable, hand carved of bone and rests on the membrane. Also a thin peace of leather is underneath the strings to protect the membrane so the strings dont come into contact with it and cause friction.

The Caucasian Tar: The Caucasian tar is quite different both in size, length, shape, tuning ETC. And this is the tar to which is also present in North Eastern Turkey, used by Kurdish, Turkish, Armenian, population, and also is the tar found in Azerbaijan. A primitive form of tar is found in a region of Afghanistan known as "Nuristan" which translates as "land of light" this type of tar is known to only have two strings. It’s believed the origins of the tar, may have came from this type of primitive lute. The caucasian tar like the Persian tar can be played while sitting down also the caucasian being light enough is sometimes played when held to the chest.

Citations: Parham Nassehpoor > Persian Tar: Wikipedia article, tar; Ney Nava > Tar New Grove Dictionary of Music page 526.edited by Stanley Saidie book 3 P to Z. ISBN number 0-943818-05-2, revised from 1985 to 1995.