Kontra
A kontra is a Hungarian (Hungarian: háromhúros brácsa, ‘three-stringed viola’), Romanian, Slovak and Romani instrument common in Transylvania.
Construction
The kontra is constructed much like the classical viola, with two major differences. First, there are only three strings instead of four. Second, the bridge is flattened, allowing a musician to play all three strings at once.
Tuning
The kontra is tuned like a viola, though lacking its low C string: G-D-A.
Technique
Due to the flattened bridge, a kontra is not as capable of playing melody lines as a viola. Rather, the standard method of play is to play double stops and three-note chords and let the fiddle play melody lines.
Ensemble Playing
The kontra has a defined role within dance band music. Its range lies between that of the fiddle or Vioara cu goarnă on the high-end and the double bass on the low-end. Many Romanian and Hungarian bands also feature the cimbalom or citera, clarinet, accordion, and Ütőgardon or cello.
See also
Kontra (album)
Kontra is the fourth studio album by Basque metal band Eraso! and the first one with new member Ander Izeta. It was released on December 4, 2005.
Track listing
References
http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/album-groupe-Eraso-nom_album-Kontra-l-en.html
Laraʼ language
Laraʼ (also called Luru, Berkati, Bakati, Bekatiq, Bekatiʼ Nyam-Pelayo, Bekatiʼ Kendayan, and Rara Bakatiʼ) is a language spoken by some 19,000 people in Borneo, on both the Indonesian side (West Kalimantan) and Malaysian side (Sarawak) of the island. Most information about it has been gathered by various Christian missionary groups...
References
Podcasts:
