Uyghur Musical Instrument
Many of the musical instruments are Arabic; the Uyghurs invented them. Just as the twelve-tone scale had been taken by al-Farabito the Arabs and then to Europe, so the ghejek had been made into the violin. The Arabic `ud, the Persian barbat and the European guitar are all derived from the tämbur.

The Persian and Arabic words for the dutar, satar, rewap, and muqam came after the things already existed. He demonstrated this by analogy to himself: although he is a Uyghur, his name Shir Memet ('the lion of Muhammad') was borrowed from Arabic. Likewise, their musical instruments and forms are Uyghur, but were given Arabic and Persian names. Like many Uyghur musicians, Shir Memett felt that the large number of songs that make up the muqams proved that they were a Uyghur invention, since they were more complex and longer than other maqâm traditions.

Shir Memet also used the etymology of the word tämbur itself to show that the instrument was Uyghur, not Persian as some maintained. He interpreted the name as a description of the tuning of the strings of this five-stringed long lute: two pairs of strings each have one pitch, while another single string is tuned to a different pitch, so the name probably comes from the Uyghur täñ-bir 'equal-one.' Shir Mämät also renamed the wire plectrum that is attached to the forefinger for playing the tämbur. It had been called a nakhun, from the Persian for 'fingernail,' but he renamed it a simtir, from the Uyghur words sim 'wire' and tirnaq 'fingernail.'

Making of musical instrument occupies one of the most important places in Uighur art wood carving. Uighur musical instruments are notable for their diversity and lofty sound and decorative characteristics. Among Uighur musical instruments the following are wide spread:

· stringed musical instruments played by plucking – dutar, tambir, ravap;
· bow musical instruments – satar, ghijak;
· percussions –dap, tevilvaz, naghra;
· wind instruments – nay, surnay, karnay, and yanchin or chan – an instrument resembling cymbals;

Musical instruments listed above were prevalent throughout the whole Eastern Turkestan and had only insignificant local distinctions. Most conspicuous distinctive traits are seen in instruments of the Southern (Qashqar) and the Northern (Ghulja) regions of the country. People call them Qashqar and Ili instruments.

Nowadays, certain parts of Twelve Uyghur Muqams, a unique creation of musical folklore, are widely popular. Folk songs and muqams are performed to the accompaniment of folk instruments, which the Uyghurs have in a great number.

Some of them are:
a duttar is a string instrument with an oval barrel and a long neck, which has from 8 to 15 movable frets;
a tembur is a stringed musical instrument played by plucking,
a satar is a lute with 3 metal strings;
a stringed instrument with 9 strings; a 3-stringed and a 5-stringed rawap; 48-stringed dulcimer;
a qalun – an instrument with 18 pairs of strings;
a Ghijek with 4 to 10 strings.
Among percussion instruments there are:
a dap– a tambourine;
a big drum -dumbaq ;
a small drum – naghra;
a kettle-drum – tevilvaz and brazen cymbals.
Wind instrument include
a ney – a reed flute;
a surnay – a pear-tree clarinet;
a carnay – a long instrument made of a brazen pipe


Hand made traditional Uyghur musical instruments
Tradional Uyghur musical instruments from silk road

The stringed instruments are hand made from professional craftsman in an original, traditional style. We are the fifth generation, manufacturing Uyghur musical instruments in Kashgar, in Uyghur Region. The decorative wooden musical instruments are intended for collectors and all, who likes oriental musical instruments with a traditional backgroun
Our craftsman have manufactured some traditional musical instruments, so we can offer currently some musical instruments. Tuning the instrument is simple for everyone. If you turn the handle of each string you can tune them easily. Our craftsman tune each instrument before shipping. We ship musical instruments worldwide

ushtar is the new generation of ancient Kashgar and old Ghijek. In ancient times the hushtar was called hushtar. This musical instrument was lost for one generation, but after a lot of research the hushtar is manufactured again. Because of its beautiful form and additional it's clear and beautiful sound it has a very good reputation among the Uyghur Orchestras. western people like especially the drawings and ornaments of a hushtar

The hushtar is called hushtar because a carved bird is placed at top of handle. Hush means bird, tar means the strings, so at top of a Hushtar is a bird placed with strings. The sound of a Hushtar is very clear and beautiful. A big Khushtar is about 75cm, a small about 40cm. The hushtar is most manufactured with four strings


The dutar is the longest handle instrument, the small dutar is about 100cm. Dutar is mainly made of mulberry tree, the dutar strings are made of silk. It will be played only with finger nails by slightly nocking to the face. Dutar is played for folk songs. If you enter in a house you can see a dutar hanging on a wall, wherever you go you can see people playing dutar and singing songs. Man and woman, old and young, all loves to play dutar

The sound of a dutar is very beautiful, you can play it and at the same time you can sing. Mainly it will be played with Tembor or just alone. The dutar is the most popular instrument in Uyghur cultural life, in dailay life of Uyghur families it is very often used to enjoy and train the music feeling with the family. At frontside and mostly at backside of high quality dutar are national decorations fixed. Dutar means double string, it has a longer history and is widespreaded among the people. Dutar is a Persian name, but only the Uyghur people have this instrument. That's because the Persian became fashion language in ancient times, so the famous Uyghurs called it dutar.

Rawap is the most popular instrument among the Uyghur instruments and this instrument highly represents to the Uyghur nation. The construction of rawap is very lovely, easy to use, so the Uyghurs like to take it with them to the working place in the farm, while traveling, wherever they want, they play it when ever they want to have fun. The rawap is most easy to play, in a big gathering or traveling on a camel.

This is one of the most beautiful instruments that our great ancesters made, and it has most beautiful sounds. So the Uyghurs like to play it in everyday life. Rawap has three main parts, ear place, handle, and rawap head. You will see the double goat's horn which shows it's beauty and local speciality to the world. In ancient times our ancesters used to the face horse or donkey skin but now snake skin used for the high quality rawap. Kashgar rawap - also called Oyma rawap in ancient times. Commonly Kashgar rawap is outfitted with 6-7 fixed strings. And the only front string for performing melody, the rest for returning ex-sounds. The ancient rawap made with three strings but the Kashgar rawap has 5 strings now. To the face of Kashgar rawap fixed bone or plastic national decorations and this instrument will be made by the most professional masters very carefully.