3 weeks ago I found a bouzouki in my basement (my dad bought it 10 years ago!) And decided: I want to lern the bouzouki. It was never been played before and it sounded horrible! I thought this bouzouki deserves something better and gave it to an specialist A week later (today) I got it back and its sounds like new So I'm motivated as hell to try it out and your video is really helpful Even for someone like me, who never touched a instrument before its really easy to follow and understand what you are doing So thank you so much for helping us ❤
Thanks so much for uploading! I recently bought a bouzouki on a whim during a recent trip to Greece and I was looking for learning materials in English.
Slimwillywilliams, so many hard to follow bouzouki stuff on line, but I found you very easy to follow, please please post more lessons for beginners I want to learn to play zorba step by step but nothing online that's easy to understand I'm sure by this video, you have helped so many of us wanting to learn to play thank you
Ευχαριστώ για το βιντεο! While I am learning Greek to prepare for my move...it's sometimes nice to relax the mind and just focus on the music instead of having to focus on understanding the language as well ;P
Awesome video..love the details and very complete and thorough explanation..just bought a new trixordo...keep the beginner videos coming..slow baby steps..I Love it!!!
Thank you very much ! I have a 4-string Bouzouki. On the 4th string I got it with a pair of octave stings D&d' .Is this original or should it be unison? I'd be very greatfull for your comment. Kindest regards, Michael
Waiting for ,mine from Pegasus on Etsy. Babis in Brooklyn is very good too. Karolos Tsakirian is legendary as was his father, who made bouzoukia for Xiotis, probably one of the first, if not THE first to make a tetra chordo. Pavlos Kakouris in California sells Bouzoukia online at www.bouzouki.org. He has many offerings in stock and many can be ordered from beginner to professional to super-glorious inlayed beautiful madness...
Many, many years ago I bought a bouzouki second hand. At the time I couldn't work out how I should play it and it was way before the world wide web. Now I thought I should try learning how to play for English country dance music. Your video is very helpful for the basic aspects. (Mine has 4 courses.) However, I feel that the action is too high. I found guidelines which suggest that the strings should rise to 2.5mm towards the bridge. Mine rise to 8mm at the very end of the fingerboard. What's the best thing to do about this? Thanks.
I can't give you any advice without seeing it. You should probably take it to a luthier. Sometimes older instruments see neck warping or joint failure that makes them unplayable. 8mm anywhere on the fretboard probably needs work to make playable
If you do go up to F, you will probably want a lighter gauge string. But the problem is that bouzoukia are longer than guitars, so there is more tension on the instrument at a given pitch and a given gauge. This would make it harder to play, and may damage the instrument. If you go down to F, that is what is typical on a 4 course bouzouki. I think the high F is a very light gauge and the low F is like a g string gauge on a guitar. But I may be getting this wrong. My only 4 course now bouzouki is an Irish bouzouki, and is very different, and I don't remember what it is on a 4 Greek bouzouki anymore.
Hi! I ordered myself a bouzouki that will arrive in a couple of days. I chose a 6-string. But I'm afraid it was the wrong decision. As I am mostly inspired by Johan Papaconstantino and other modern / folkish Greek music. Would you recommend me to send the 6-string back and order a 8 string? I have good musical sense and play the piano and drums. But my theoretical knowledge about keys and tuning (chromatic etc) is very little.
I play bass and some acoustic guitar, I'm Greek and I'd like to do bouzouki or baglama. Which of the two would you recommend for a beginner of the folk music? I think baglama is more a rhythmic instrument than the lead that bouzouki is?
If money isn't an issue, the bouzouki is the way to go. However, you can do a lot with the baglama--not just the rhythmic side of things--and the baglama is kind of bad ass. You could always try the tzoura as well...
I am a guitar and bouzouki player, and all I can do is speak from my experience. My experience is that I play the bouzouki better when I hold the pick the traditional bouzouki way. In fact, it's now how I play guitar too unless I am arpeggiating across strings. But do what works best for you--all I have is my opinion
This man started his video by apologizing for the fact it's only in one language, rather than any of the other 300 different languages. This is unusual behavior, even for people who consider themselves Global Citizens not tied to any particular nation or culture.
I love that you have english bouzouki lessons since my greek is not perfect. Thank you!
I would love if you could release some more bouzouki lessons please. Very grateful for these educational videos that you have given us!
3 weeks ago I found a bouzouki in my basement (my dad bought it 10 years ago!) And decided: I want to lern the bouzouki. It was never been played before and it sounded horrible!
I thought this bouzouki deserves something better and gave it to an specialist
A week later (today) I got it back and its sounds like new
So I'm motivated as hell to try it out and your video is really helpful
Even for someone like me, who never touched a instrument before its really easy to follow and understand what you are doing
So thank you so much for helping us ❤
Great video! Keep them coming please 👍🏼
Thank you for this video!!! I learned a lot! Just got a bouzouki for Christmas and you helped me get started! Many thanks!
Very nice intro! Congrats!
It s a very clearing and useful vidéo...i dont feel a complete biginer avec watching that ...!
Thanks so much for uploading! I recently bought a bouzouki on a whim during a recent trip to Greece and I was looking for learning materials in English.
Slimwillywilliams, so many hard to follow bouzouki stuff on line, but I found you very easy to follow, please please post more lessons for beginners
I want to learn to play zorba step by step but nothing online that's easy to understand
I'm sure by this video, you have helped so many of us wanting to learn to play thank you
Ευχαριστώ για το βιντεο! While I am learning Greek to prepare for my move...it's sometimes nice to relax the mind and just focus on the music instead of having to focus on understanding the language as well ;P
Awesome video..love the details and very complete and thorough explanation..just bought a new trixordo...keep the beginner videos coming..slow baby steps..I Love it!!!
Thanks. I will upload more
@@slimwillywilliams hi slim, could you pleased post how to play zorba, I really want to learn to play it
Thank you very much ! I have a 4-string Bouzouki. On the 4th string I got it with a pair of octave stings D&d' .Is this original or should it be unison? I'd be very greatfull for your comment. Kindest regards, Michael
Im an Irish bouzouki session player with Greek heritage this video is GOLD
I'm trying to find a piece titled 'Bouzkef' played on Greek Bouzouki only, thanks.
Sinharitiria poli kali doulia. Efharistoume
BRAVO 💗😍💗😍
So if you should keep your pick in your pocket, do you need a special pocket for that, perhaps called a "pick pocket"?
Thanks a lot
How about how to hold the bouzouki?
Please please post videos like this more for beginner just like me. Baby steps please thanks
Ok, I will add more.
I so happy I found this video, I want to learn to play, where can I buy one in the USA.
Many online retailers, not sure where in US
Babis Kioulos of Brooklyn NY
checkout his website
I bought mine from The Bouzouki Shop in Athens Greece off of Etsy because there wasn’t anywhere near me that sold any.
Shannon O’Brien is correct
Waiting for ,mine from Pegasus on Etsy. Babis in Brooklyn is very good too. Karolos Tsakirian is legendary as was his father, who made bouzoukia for Xiotis, probably one of the first, if not THE first to make a tetra chordo. Pavlos Kakouris in California sells Bouzoukia online at www.bouzouki.org. He has many offerings in stock and many can be ordered from beginner to professional to super-glorious inlayed beautiful madness...
Just bought one in Athens.
Many, many years ago I bought a bouzouki second hand. At the time I couldn't work out how I should play it and it was way before the world wide web. Now I thought I should try learning how to play for English country dance music. Your video is very helpful for the basic aspects. (Mine has 4 courses.) However, I feel that the action is too high. I found guidelines which suggest that the strings should rise to 2.5mm towards the bridge. Mine rise to 8mm at the very end of the fingerboard. What's the best thing to do about this? Thanks.
I can't give you any advice without seeing it. You should probably take it to a luthier. Sometimes older instruments see neck warping or joint failure that makes them unplayable. 8mm anywhere on the fretboard probably needs work to make playable
@@slimwillywilliams Thanks. I'm in the UK, so there's probably a lot of water between us! I'll see what a luthier says.
What pick do you use
Can I tune the lower D strings into F and if yes then what gauge string shall I put? Great video btw.
If you do go up to F, you will probably want a lighter gauge string. But the problem is that bouzoukia are longer than guitars, so there is more tension on the instrument at a given pitch and a given gauge. This would make it harder to play, and may damage the instrument. If you go down to F, that is what is typical on a 4 course bouzouki. I think the high F is a very light gauge and the low F is like a g string gauge on a guitar. But I may be getting this wrong. My only 4 course now bouzouki is an Irish bouzouki, and is very different, and I don't remember what it is on a 4 Greek bouzouki anymore.
Hi! I ordered myself a bouzouki that will arrive in a couple of days.
I chose a 6-string. But I'm afraid it was the wrong decision.
As I am mostly inspired by Johan Papaconstantino and other modern / folkish Greek music.
Would you recommend me to send the 6-string back and order a 8 string?
I have good musical sense and play the piano and drums. But my theoretical knowledge about keys and tuning (chromatic etc) is very little.
You can play most songs, especially at the beginner level, on either instrument. If you get really good, you may want both instruments.
Getting 6 -string bouzouki is an excellent decision 😊😊
I play bass and some acoustic guitar, I'm Greek and I'd like to do bouzouki or baglama. Which of the two would you recommend for a beginner of the folk music? I think baglama is more a rhythmic instrument than the lead that bouzouki is?
If money isn't an issue, the bouzouki is the way to go. However, you can do a lot with the baglama--not just the rhythmic side of things--and the baglama is kind of bad ass. You could always try the tzoura as well...
first notes ever learned
Thank you!
Sure there is more than one way to hold a plectrum? Could you please explain why we shouldn’t hold the plectrum as some guitarists do? Thanks
I am a guitar and bouzouki player, and all I can do is speak from my experience. My experience is that I play the bouzouki better when I hold the pick the traditional bouzouki way. In fact, it's now how I play guitar too unless I am arpeggiating across strings. But do what works best for you--all I have is my opinion
Any advice on brands of bouzouki to stick with as a beginner? I know they can get very expensive
Not sure. It's hard to know by brand.
Gold Tone BZ-500
Awesome quality,
Awesome price.
buy from the bouzouki shop on etsy
its made in greece and authentic
@@nkdeftones thanks Nick!!
Ehfcaristo!
Hello my friend. Where do you from?
Canada
@@slimwillywilliams Apo pou eisai akriwos?
In Japanese ?
Not Greek ?
traduction , please
This man started his video by apologizing for the fact it's only in one language, rather than any of the other 300 different languages. This is unusual behavior, even for people who consider themselves Global Citizens not tied to any particular nation or culture.
Yeah I'm sure there's a lot of Japanese bouzouki videos malaka.
I didn’t get the purpose of mentioning “if you speak Japanese” and all that.