Instruments
Gajda, Gayda, Gaida, Gajde
photo: Elias BizannesMacedonian gajda player
Classification: Aerophone - wind instrument
Description:
The bagpipe as played in the Balkans has a single chanter and a single drone pipe, along with the mouthpiece, which are all connected to the bag.
A second type of bagpipe has a double chanter, that is, two chanters side by side, and no drone. This type of bagpipe is known as tsambouna, sabouna or askomandoura in the Greek islands, and tulum or tulumi in the Black Sea region.
An important variant of the instrument, played in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria, is called the kaba gajda. It has the same construction of the more prevalent Thracian-style gajda (often called džura gajda) except it is much larger and has a deeper voice.
Videos - a few examples:
Vassil Bebelekov playing the kaba gajda
- Video 1
- Video 2
- Video 3
- Video 4
- Video 5