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Folk and World Music Instruments

Jalatharangam - a set of porcelain bowls filled with water and struck with sticks that sounds similar to a xylophone (India).

Jaleika - a wind instrument from Tver, Russia. It is made from reed-tipped cow horn.

Jali -  Manding word for a West African nomadic musician and storyteller. They sing epic songs and family histories. Many are also master musicians.

Jamisen - Term used on the main islands of Japan to refer to the shamisen of Okinawa.

Jarana - a 5 to 8 string Mexican guitar from the Jarocho region. Used to perform son jarocho.

Java -  a finger pick made from a coconut shell (India).

Javalina - See requinto jarocho.

Jaw harp - see Jew's harp.

Jejy lava - a Malagasy one-string musical bow with a smaller gourd resonator.

Jejy voatavo - a Malagasy string instrument with two adjacent faces, each with courses of strings, one with frets and one without, mounted on a gourd resonator.

Jembe

Jetakh - Mongolian term for the Japanese koto Jew's harp – a lyre-shaped hand-sized instrument made of metal, bamboo or other materials. It is placed in front of the mouth. The sound is produced by blowing across, and simultaneously vibrating, a flexible metal tongue set into a frame.

Jeudg harp - Dutch jew's harp. It literally means youth harp. Some researchers believe the English term, jew's harp, derives from the Dutch word.

Jew's harp - a small musical instrument made out of metal, or wood, which is held against the teeth or lips, and plucked with the fingers. It is also known as jaw harp. The instrument is found in any cultures throughout the world.

Jhanj - Indian cymbal.

Jigatch - Kyrgyz wooden Jew's harp. It is an older relative of the temir komuz. Its tongue is vibrated by forcefully pulling a string. The jigatch is believed to be the oldest Kyrgyz musical instrument.

Jing - large Korean bronze gong played with a padded stick.

Jinghu - a soprano version of the erhu.

Jouhikko - bowed lute of Finland and Russian Karelia. It has a flat bridge. Drone strings and one melody string are played simultaneously. The jouhiko normally accompanies narrative and epic singing.

Juan-hsieng - Taiwanese moon guitar.

Jun-Jun - talking drum (Nigeria).

Last Updated Thursday, July 22 2004 @ 07:42 PM EDT|9,771 Hits