THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMZAD

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Construction process

 

Making the body, or sound-chamber [resonator]

After the tanning, the still-wet leather is laid flat across the half-gourd, pulled by hand toward the base, and flattened tight against the outer surface of the gourd. This becomes the flat upper surface of the instrument’s sound-box.  Then small holes are made with a thick needle all around the outer edges of the leather, and twisted strips of leather are threaded through the holes, pulled tight, and knotted at the back of the ateklas, thus holding the skin in place.

 

Preparation of the neck

This is done after the planing-down of a specially selected piece of fresh wood.  The bark is stripped off with a knife, and the wood is left to dry for a day or two in the sun.  Then it is finished off:  the surface needs to be very smooth.

 

Preparation of the bow

This is made from a thin stick of fresh wood, which is bent using the heat of the fire into a semi-circle.  It is held in that curved position for about 5 days until it stays in the shape needed for the bow.  The two ends are carved so that a horsehair cord can be attached from one end to the other and stretched enough to serve its eventual purpose.

 

Fixing the neck to the instrument

A hole has to be made in the leather skin right on the rim of the calabash to insert the neck through so that it goes across the gourd and emerges at the other side.  It is then firmly secured with strips of leather so that it is fixed across the body of the instrument.

 

Adjusting the string

The horsehair string is attached along the length of the ‘arm’ and across the surface of the skin, and held by attaching it at the top and bottom ends with a strip of leather.  Then the ‘noose’ (“tessaghit”) is added (using a third strip of leather) at the upper end of the neck of the instrument to give the best sound-quality.

 

Preparing and fixing the bridge

The bridge is made of the same type of wood as the neck.  Two small pieces are tied tightly together in an ‘X’ shape, and then placed in the middle of the flat front surface of the instrument to raise and tension the string.

 

Making the sound-holes

Two holes have to be made [in the flat leather surface] (see photos).  These holes, known as “titaouine”, on each side of the bridge, help to produce a good sound.

 

Decoration

 This is done after everything has dried out.  Each colour is prepared and applied separately, and the decoration of each instrument is different and personalised.

 

Comments

• the neck of the imzad is shaped to suit the particular anatomy of the player’s hand, so it might be straight, or slightly curved.
• the diameter of the calabash measures on average between 30 and 50cm.
• the bridge is placed in the middle of the front (top) surface
• the length of the neck is the same as the diameter of the ateklas.

 

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