Apple Using the GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music Instruments - Manual (Page 8)

8
Irish Bouzouki
Although the bouzouki (sometimes called the octave mandolin) is of Greek origin, it is
the modified Irish bouzouki that has become popular in the recent revival of Celtic
music. Bouzoukis were introduced to Irish traditional music in the 1970s, and have
become an important part of the contemporary Celtic sound. The bouzouki is often
used to give definition to the lines below the melody.
The Irish bouzouki is a long-necked instrument with a pear-shaped body and three or
four courses of metal strings. Bouzoukis are typically tuned to the notes G-D-A-E. The
lower courses are tuned in octaves, while the upper courses are tuned in unison. The
player frets notes with the left hand and plucks notes with a pick held in the right
hand. The tone of the Irish bouzouki is penetrating and metallic.