The Balalaika.

[Nic__]

I have a balalaika. Does anybody on this forum own one?

[tgadrummer]

know how to play it?

[Nic__]

My dad does.

[ariabak]

yo im from adealide can i buy it off u

[Nic__]

Hey aria.

No cause its a sentimental item.

[zhyla]

Yeah I have one I found... they're not exactly hard to play but the tuning (EEA) makes chords awkward. I mainly just hang it on the wall.

[The Stig]

I never owned one, but when I interned in a music store, I'd mess around with one they had. I had no Idea how to tune it, so I did it in fourths (like the lowest three strings on guitar), and would do chopped-up scales and power chords. As for proper technique, I never got it, but I have wanted one ever since.

[zhyla]

I never owned one, but when I interned in a music store, I'd mess around with one they had. I had no Idea how to tune it, so I did it in fourths (like the lowest three strings on guitar), and would do chopped-up scales and power chords. As for proper technique, I never got it, but I have wanted one ever since.

I think you can get them pretty cheap on ebay ($20-$30) or garage sales or whatever. They were imported from Russia like mad in the 70's I think. There's 5 or 6 sizes, the largest being like 8 feet long, but you only find the small ones. Strings are available online too, I've never seen them in a store though.

My understanding of the technique is you strum it with your index finger (fleshy part, not the nail). I've never gotten this to work well so I just use my nails. I've heard recordings of it that sounded really pretty but never been able to make mine sound like that.