Using the GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music Instruments GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music contains over 40 new Software Instruments featuring sounds from around the globe. You can use these instruments to create your own world music compositions or add an ethnic flavor to songs in any style.
 Woodwinds, featuring a Celtic tin whistle, Chinese di zi and xiao flutes, Highlands bagpipes, Indian bansuri flute and shehnai oboe, Japanese shakuhachi flute, European medieval recorder, Native American flute, and Peruvian panpipes.  Drum Kits, featuring African, Asian, European, Indian and Middle Eastern, and Latin percussion kits. Each kit contains a variety of instruments.
Mexican Guitarron The guitarron (also called “chitarrone”) is used as the bass instrument in mariachi bands in Mexico and throughout Central and South America. It is a large, fretless bass guitar with very deep sides which create a large resonant chamber to amplify the sound. In addition to its traditional role, the guitarron has been used by pop and rock groups. The open strings are usually tuned to the notes A-D-G-C-E-A, with the high A string tuned below the C string.
Russian Balalaika The balalaika is a Russian folk instrument with a long history. In the 19th century, the balalaika was expanded to include families of instruments in several sizes from soprano (called “prima”) to bass, and music was created for balalaika ensembles using innovative strumming and picking techniques. In 1888 the first balalaika orchestra debuted to popular acclaim, and the balalaika became a favorite of both the court and the public.
Choir World Music includes two instruments featuring the sounds of a South African choir: one singing common syllables and the other performing voice effects. South African Singers South African Voice Effects Music-making in Africa belongs to all people, and Africa’s many musical styles are all folk styles that developed from local cultures. While its history is not recorded, the sound of the South African choir is believed to have developed in migrant labor camps in the early 20th century.
Choir Instrument Controller Info South African Singers  Mod wheel gives four different syllables: “Ooh,” “Hemm,” “La,” and “Ah.”  Velocity increases volume. South African Voice Effects  Mod wheel gives four different syllables: “Ti,” “Timo,” “Mo,” and a short “Mo.”  Velocity increases volume. Guitars World Music includes a Chinese ruan moon guitar, a Hawaiian ukulele, an Irish bouzouki, a Spanish flamenco guitar, and two Turkish lutes: the oud and the saz.
Hawaiian Ukulele The ukulele was developed on the islands of Hawaii in the late 19th century, based on instruments brought to the islands by Portuguese immigrants. It quickly spread throughout the islands, and became Hawaii’s most popular instrument. The word ukulele means “jumping flea,” and some believe the name comes from the islanders’ first impression of the player’s hands flying across the fingerboard.
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.
Medieval Lute The European lute evolved from ancient Middle Eastern stringed instruments, and was widely used during the Medieval and Renaissance periods to accompany singers and as a solo instrument. The word lute derives from the same root as oud, an Arabic word meaning “wood.” The lute is a plucked stringed instrument with a deep, pear-shaped body and a flat top. The top features a soundhole that is typically intricately carved in the shape of a knot or vine.
Spanish Flamenco Guitar The passionate style of music and dance known as flamenco originated in Andalusia, at the crossroads of Gitano (Gypsy), Moorish, and Jewish cultures. Originally, flamenco consisted of unaccompanied singing, but soon the singers were accompanied by the guitar, as well as hand clapping, foot stamping, and dance. Today, traditional flamenco has absorbed influences from jazz, salsa, and popular music, leading to a new offshoot called “Nuevo Flamenco” (New Flamenco).
Turkish Oud Lute The oud is a stringed instrument common to Turkish and Arabic civilizations. An ancient legend claims that the oud was created by one of Adam’s grandsons. However, modern historians believe that it was invented in Mesopotamia in the second millennium B.C. The front of the body is flat, with a central sound hole, while the back is pear-shaped, creating a resonant chamber to strengthen the sound. The neck is fairly short, and supports from five to eight sets of strings.
The saz has a long, thin neck and a teardrop-shaped body. The neck is traditionally made of fir and the body carved from a single piece of mulberry wood. Small soundholes are carved into the top and also sometimes the sides of the body. The strings are metal, usually steel or brass, and the player uses a long pick to pluck them.
Mallets World Music includes mallet instruments from the African continent, the islands of Indonesia, and the mountainous nation of Tibet. African Kalimba The kalimba (also called the “thumb piano”) was invented by African slaves in the Caribbean, using ingenuity to create an instrument from extremely limited resources. It consists of a small wooden box with a central sound hole, with a row of metal bars suspended above. The player presses the bars with either thumb to sound different notes.
The Indonesian islands are home to a unique form of ensemble music-making using mallet percussion instruments. The gamelan has fascinated composers and listeners since being brought to the West at the beginning of the 20th century. Indonesian Gamelan Gamelan is the name for the traditional music ensemble of Indonesia. Both Bali and Java have both produced distinctive styles of gamelan playing with histories extending over many centuries. The word gamelan means “ensemble” or “orchestra.
Tibetan Singing Bowls Tibetan singing bowls (also called “Himalayan bowls”) have been used by monks as part of Buddhist meditation for hundreds of years. The bowls, which are handmade of metal and come in a variety of sizes, are played by striking the edge or rubbing (or “stirring”) the inside surface.
Pianos and Keyboards World Music includes an Afro-Cuban upright piano and two accordions: a polka accordion and a tango accordion. Afro-Cuban Upright Piano Cuban music has long been an intense melting pot of cultures and styles, mixing Spanish and West African influences with those from France, Jamaica, the United States, and other countries.
Polka Accordion Polka is a form of dance music that originated in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) in the 19th century. It quickly spread throughout Europe, Russia, and the Americas. Several distinctive styles have evolved in North America, including the "Polish style" with roots in Chicago, the “Slovenian style” associated with Cleveland, and the “Conjunto style” of Texas and Northern Mexico (also called “Norteno”).
Tango Accordion In addition to its use as a polka instrument (described in the previous section), the accordion has also been frequently used in performances of Argentine tango. Tango accordions are typically larger and have a tone quality and voicings different from polka accordions, but are constructed and played in the same manner. Pianos and Keyboards 18 Instrument Controller Info Afro-Cuban Upright Piano  Velocity adds attack and volume. Polka Accordion  Pitchbend controls volume.
Strings Stringed instruments are common to all musical cultures, and both bowed and plucked strings can be found in nearly every corner of the globe. Variations of the two types of plucked instruments, the lute (with a neck projecting from the body that holds the strings) and the zither (with a large trapezoidal body across which the strings are stretched) likely came into being as different cultures traveled and intermingled.
Celtic Harp The history of the Celtic harp extends back many centuries. Early forms of the harp were widespread throughout Ireland, Scotland, and Wales as early as 1000 A.D., and visitors to the area often commented on the natives’ skill in performance. The harp was popular both in court and country villages, where virtuoso harpists were revered and their instruments prized and highly decorated. The tone of the Celtic harp is softer and brighter than that of a concert harp.
Chinese Erhu Violin The erhu violin developed from earlier string instruments, including the huqin. Little is known about its history before it was popularized in the early 20th century by the musician Liu Tianhua, who composed many original pieces for it. The erhu is a bowed instrument with two strings stretched over a long neck. The base of the neck is attached to a resonator that consists of a hollow wooden box covered by an animal skin (traditionally the skin of a python).
The guzheng has a semi-circular wooden base over which a set of strings is stretched. It has twelve or thirteen strings, which are commonly tuned to the notes of the pentatonic scale, covering a range of four octaves. Players pluck the strings with picks attached to their right-hand fingers while touching the strings with their left hand.
Irish Fiddle The fiddle has long been one of the chief instruments of traditional Irish folk music. It is ideally suited to playing the long, lilting melodies characteristic of the style, and to the reels, jigs, and other lively dance pieces played throughout the British Isles. Over the centuries a rich tradition of fiddle-playing developed, with recognizably different styles in different regions of the country. Today, those regional styles have merged together into the modern Celtic style of playing.
The playing technique for the koto includes the “tsuki” style, in which the string is plucked, pressed, and then released, causing the note to first bend up then return to its original pitch. Another common technique uses double-struck notes, with the string forcibly plucked in alternate directions. The Japanese Koto Software Instrument includes both these playing styles, with the “tsuki” style produced at the highest note velocity level and double-struck notes played using the mod wheel.
Strings Instrument Controller Info Celtic Hammered Dulcimer  Mod wheel at mid setting adds tremolo; at high setting strums the first, fifth, and octave.  Velocity adds attack and volume. Celtic Harp  Velocity adds attack and volume. Chinese Erhu Violin  Mod wheel at mid setting adds slide up to note; at high setting adds slide down to note.  Highest velocity adds trill to note. Chinese Guzheng Zither  Mod wheel at mid setting adds bend down to note; at high setting plays strums.
Woodwinds Producing musical tones by blowing into a reed or tube is one of the oldest forms of music-making and is found in nearly every culture. At first each tube yielded only a single note (as on the panpipes), but then holes were cut so the player could produce different notes, and the first flutes and whistles came into being.
Chinese Di Zi Flute The Chinese di zi (also sometimes called “ti-tzu” or “hengdi”) is a transverse flute, like the Western classical flute. It has been used in both court and folk music, and is prized for its simplicity, small size, and beauty of sound. Di zi are commonly made of bamboo, but can also be made using other types of wood and even stone, including jade. Di zi typically have a range of two and a half octaves.
Chinese Xiao Flute The xiao (also called “Di xiao” or “Dong xiao”) has been used in Chinese music for over 2000 years both as a solo instrument and in small chamber ensembles. Some historians believe the xiao was the predecessor to the Japanese shakuhachi flute. The xiao is an end-blown flute made of bamboo, with six finger holes pitched to the notes of the pentatonic scale. Its tone is softer and lower than the di zi, and is suited to expressing peaceful or melancholy moods.
The bagpipe is a a single or double reed instrument that uses a bag, traditionally made from animal skin, to hold the air used to vibrate the reeds. Players press the bag with their arm, sending the air through a reed or reeds on a fingered pipe called a chanter to produce the notes. The bagpipe can also produce a drone, usually a bass note two octaves below the chanter’s keynote, which provides a harmonic background for the melody.
Indian Shehnai Oboe The shehnai is descended from the nay, found in ancient Persia and Egypt. In India it was historically used in royal music ensembles. The shehnai is believed to bring good luck, and so is widely used in North India today for weddings and festivals, as well as in Hindu temples. The shehnai is a double-reed instrument (similar to a Western oboe) with a wooden body and a brass bell. The reeds are attached to a brass tube which is wrapped with string.
The shakuhachi is a bamboo end-blown flute (the name refers to the size of the instrument, although now instruments can be different sizes). The finger holes are pitched to the notes of the pentatonic scale, but skillful players can bend notes and partially cover the holes to produce additional notes and extend the instrument’s range, and can blow into the mouthpiece at an angle to add inflection to notes.
Native American Flute Native American tradition holds that music was given to people as a way of communicating with the supernatural, and Native American folk music was mainly used to convey a spiritual meaning, to pray for good luck, and to relate stories of heroes. The origins of the Native American flute are unknown, but some believe it was developed by the ancient Pueblo peoples who used it for meditation, courtship, and religious rituals.
Peruvian Panpipes The panpipe (also called “panflute” or “syrinx”) is an ancient musical instrument, found in Europe, Asia, and South America. Its name reflects its association with the god Pan by the ancient Greeks, for whom the panpipe was a popular folk instrument. Panpipes have long been a part of the music of Peru and other Andean cultures, and have seen renewed interest in the world music and New Age movements.
Instrument Controller Info Native American Flute  Mod wheel gives vibrato, non-vibrato, and a short slide up to the note.  Velocity increases volume. Peruvian Panpipes  Mod wheel gives soft and hard attack, short slide up to the note, and fluttertonguing.  Velocity increases volume. Drum Kits World Music includes African, Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern, European, and Latin drum kits.
Note range Instrument Playing method F0 Low Djembe Bass Left (Processed) F#0 Low Djembe Closed Slap G0 Low Djembe Open Left G#0 Afro Conga Open Hand A0 Hi Djembe Open Right A#0 Afro Conga Slap B0 Hi Djembe Closed Bass (Processed) C1 Hi Djembe Bass Left (Processed) C#1 Hi Djembe Closed D1 Hi Djembe Open Right D#1 African Metal Shaker E1 Hi Djembe Slap + Grace F1 Talking Drum Low F#1 Y-Rattle G1 Talking Drum Medium G#1 Y-Rattle Roll A A1 Talking Drum Medium H
Note range Instrument Playing method F3 Sakara High Open F#3 Sakara Low Open G3 Gankoqui High Open G#3 Gankoqui Low Open A3 Shekere 1 A#3 Shekere 2 B3 Oghene 3 FX C4 Oghene 1 FX C#4 Ekpiri Roll A D4 Ekpiri Roll B D#4 Sabar Stick Closed E4 Sabar Open Hand F4 Sabar Stick Open F#4 Talking Drum Bend Down G4 Talking Drum Bend Up G#4 Oghene 2 Mute A4 Oghene 2 Open A#4 African Small Shaker B4 Udu Slap Left C5 Udu Slap Left C#5 Udu Open 1 D5 Udu O
Asian Kit The Asian Kit includes a variety of percussion instruments found throughout the Far East, including several sizes of taiko drum, Chinese cymbals, and Chinese and Indonesian gongs.
Note range Instrument Playing method G3 Indonesian Tuned Gong Mute Stick G#3 Indonesian Tuned Gong Mute Stick A3 Chinese Cymbals Medium Closed/Open A#3 Chinese Cymbals Small Closed/Open B3 Chinese Cymbals Small Open C4 Chinese Cymbals Medium Closed C#4 Wood Frog Medium Scrape/Hit D4 Wood Frog Large Scrape/Hit D#4 Wood Frog Small Scrape/Hit E4 Chinese Temple Block High Stick F4 Chinese Temple Block Low Stick F#4 Indonesian Small Gong 1 Soft Mallet/Rubber Mallet/Edge
European Folk Kit The European Folk Kit includes a variety of percussion instruments used throughout Europe, including timpani, the waterphone, several tambourines, sleigh bells, bodhran, wind chimes, and darbuka.
Note range Instrument Playing method C2 Concert Tom Medium High Open C#2 Suspended Cymbal Small/ Medium Open D2 Concert Tom High Open D#2 Suspended Cymbal Medium Stick Ride E2 Thunder Sheet Side Hit F2 Suspended Cymbal Large Stick Bell F#2 Darbuka Large Shell Hit G2 Concert Cymbal Closed/Open/Mute G#2 Wah Wah Bell Wah A2 Egg Shakers Long Roll 2 A#2 Tambourine Shake Roll B2 Suspended Cymbal Small Stick/Jclaw C3 Darbuka Small Small/Finger C#3 Darbuka Small Open
Note range Instrument Playing method B4 Sleigh Bells 1 Shake C5 Sleigh Bells 2 Shake C#5 Thunder Sheet Cres/Mid Hit/Top Hit D5 Large Frame Drum Mute D#5 Thunder Sheet Bowed E5 Tapan Stick F5 Large Frame Drum Finger Mute F#5 Large Frame Drum Finger G5 Bodhran Mute G#5 Bodhran High Mute A5 Italian Tambourine Slap A#5 Wind Chimes Up/Down B5 Large Frame Drum Open C6 Mediterranean Tambourine Mute C#6 Wind Singer 1 Wurl D6 Wind Singer 2 Wurl Indian and Middle Eas
Note range Instrument Playing method D1 Gaval Slap D#1 Daf Side Hit E1 Gaval Edge F1 Tabla Large Slide F#1 Tala Large Closed G1 Tabla Large Ga G#1 Tala Small Closed A1 Tablas Dhin A#1 Tala Large Open B1 Tablas Dha C2 Tabla Small Tun C#2 Indian Ankle Bells Shake D2 Tabla Small Tin D#2 Elephant Bell Open E2 Daf Side Hit 2 F2 Elephant Bell 2 Open F#2 Riq Jingle G2 Daf Quick Shake G#2 Riq Bass Tone A2 Riq Slap Mute A#2 Riq Small Jingle/Open B
Note range Instrument Playing method D4 Dumbek Ruff D#4 Dumbek Slap Mute E4 Dumbek Bass Tone Open F4 Dumbek Bass Tone Extended F#4 Dumbek Finger Mute G4 Dumbek Finger Edge G#4 Tala Closed A4 Tala Open A#4 Riq Small Jingle Mute B4 Gaval Edge Hand C5 Elephant Bell Open C#5 Tar Open D5 Pakawaj Din D#5 Pakawaj Open Tone E5 Udu Slap Mute F5 Udu Bass Tonbe Bend F#5 Pakawaj Tin G5 Pakawaj Closed G#5 Pakawaj Tak A5 Tar Harmonic Slide A#5 Indian Ankle B
Latin Kit The Latin Kit includes a variety of percussion instruments from both Spain and Latin America, including the surdo, bongos, timbales, agogo, guiro, Brazilian whistles, and large and small berimbau.
Note range Instrument G#2 Cowbell Playing method A2 Large Recko Recko A#2 Vibraslap B2 Small Recko Recko Open Vibrato C3 Bongo High C#3 Bongo Low D3 Low Conga Mute Slap High D#3 Low Conga Open High E3 Afro Conga Open F3 Timbale Open High Open Vibrato F#3 Timbale Open Low + Mute G3 Agogo High G#3 Agogo Low A3 Cabasa A#3 Maracas B3 Brazilian Hi Whistle Short C4 Brazilian Low Whistle Long C#4 Guiro Short D4 Lo Guiro Long D#4 Claves E4 Afro-Latin Woodbl
Note range Instrument Playing method G#5 Large Cajon Mute Slap A5 Small Berimbau Buzz Strike A#5 Large Berimbau Buzz Strike B5 Large Berimbau High Open C6 Large Berimbau Low Open Vibrato C#6 Small Berimbau High Open D6 Small Berimbau Low Open D#6 Small Berimbau Low Open Vibrato The following diagram gives a reference of the range of the keyboard.
Add Memory In general, Real Instrument loops (blue) are extremely efficient and require the least amount of resources from your computer. The Software Instruments and Software Instrument loops (green) in World Music require more processing power, as the sound is being processed in real time. This is why Software Instruments and Software Instrument loops require a computer with at least a G4 processor, and why Apple recommends you have at least 1 GB of RAM to use World Music.
