How to Play Finnish 11 String Kantele / plucking

[@end0skeleton404]

I've been playing instruments my whole life, Piano, Clarinet, and now I've been playing guitar for 18 years. I recently learned about the kantele after doing some Finland studies because my great great grandparents came from there to the U.S. I need one now. My grandfather played guitar, and it always had me wondering if my ancestors played stringed instruments in Ostrobothnia which seems to have a huge influence there.

[@Larixlaricina]

I have a 10 string kantele and took a lesson 10 years ago. This is a good reminder.

[@lyratulia]

That's actually a really helpful video, I plan to buy a 11 strings kantele pretty soon and I was worried that I couldn't find any advice on how to play it on the internet, thanks a lot really !

[@MaijaPokela]

Great to hear, thanks!

[@PackRatSupreme]

Thank you for this!!! Such a beautiful instrument, I hope to get one soon. Much love from the US!

[@patrickwoolery6000]

I could listen to you both play for hours. Lovely. Thank you.

[@mustelidmama]

I have a 5 sting with an 11 string on the way. I'm excited!🤩

[@perttukilpelainen4010]

Ootte Maijat mahtavia ❤️

[@MaijaPokela]

Jehee kiitos!

[@Rainaman-]

That jam at the end was great!

[@MaijaPokela]

Haha, thanks! Always a pleasure to play with Maija!

[@namiuehara1797]

This is very easy to understand and a very useful video for me . thank you so much! Does the beautiful tune from 4’00” have tune’s title?

[@northwind9505]

I have a question. First forgive me because I know very little about music. Question. With the Kantele I have noticed that the instrument has 5 or 10 strings. (Of course some have many more) Why do I not see 6 or 7 strings Kantele?

[@militarykid9183]

I am more than aware that this is a year late but I actually have an answer. Kanteles and most traditional Finnish music is based around the pentatonic scale, meaning that they only use 5 notes compared to the standard diatonic scale of 7 notes. This is actually very common for traditional folk music globally being seen in traditional music stretching from across Europe, Asia, and Africa. If anything modern western 12 tone equal temperament is the weird system. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend watching videos from "12 tone" who has several videos on tuning systems, their history and the theory behind them.

[@АскетАскетов]

Действительно, очень веселые девушки))) Заглянул на канал в поисках чего-нибудь новенького в плане техники игры на гуслях, а нашел заряд хорошего настроения.

[@tumekass6860]

How do you tune that to D minor, I'm not sure if it was said but is it same as with 5-string kantele? Nice video overall. :)

[@hantse5075]

Magical 🙂

[@paulvogt8492]

Where to buy one?

[@MaijaPokela]

For example: Tmi J-A Kallioinen tmijakallioinen.mycashflow.fi Jyrki Pölkki soitinverstas.net/tag/soitinrakentaja/ Lovikka lovikka.com Koistinen www.koistinenkantele.com Melodia Soitin kanteleverstas.com/index.html

[@paulvogt8492]

@@MaijaPokela Thanks.

[@Rek-55]

You are very positive girls)

[@damiandziaczynski-pracowni4481]

Do you know people who play other way round? It is the way I understand it better and can play some simple songs already. Why is it bad?

[@MaijaPokela]

I don't know people who play small kanteles other way around, but it's not "bad" of course! This is the way we learn to play it and I think that small kantele is ergonomically easier to hold this way. Big kanteles (around 30 strings ->) are usually played from the other side so that the bass string is closest to you!

[@damiandziaczynski-pracowni4481]

​@@MaijaPokela Exactly! You see, I play piano, whistles and few other instruments and for my brain this is more logical. In my mind, only one think can be more practical other (traditional) way is a shape to rest your left hand. But I am not a player yet. I think I am going to buy something like eleven/ twelve strings kantele. Could you recommend how many ? Is it better to have 2 or 3 bass strings? I want to have possibilities but as well I do historical reenactment and I want tp use it on events so I can't overdo. And one more question (you will kill me :D ) I suspect kantele with soundbox is louder than open one, am I right? (sorry for so many questions). Ps. Please keep going with this videos if you have time and willingness. You are great! :)

[@MaijaPokela]

@@damiandziaczynski-pracowni4481 11 string kantele is very common so that you'll find from the kantele builder stores right away! The amount of bass strings is totally up to you, I don't use them myself so much but I have a 11+4 string kantele that has two bass strings and two metal strings to accompany. But as said, I don't have so much use for them because I play also big kantele that has lots of bass strings :) Kantele with a soundbox compared to open one - it depends on the kantele. In my experience my own Koistinen 11+4 string kantele is loud, but the model is open. I use it mostly amplified, but also the acoustic sound is loud, nice and round. Then I have Jyrki Pölkki's 15 string kantele, that is also open but not as loud - but it has levers that work so that I can change to almost any key I want easily :) I'm still waiting to meet the kantele of my dreams that would have all the features I want!