View source for Dutar

{{sources|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox Instrument
|name= Dutar
|names=
|image = Joueur de dutar ouzbek.jpg
|image_capt = 
|classification=
*[[Plucked string instrument]]
|range=
|related= 
* [[Bouzouki]]
* [[Çiftelia]]
* [[Dotara]]
* [[Pandura]]
* [[Tambouras]]
* [[Tanbur]]
}}

{{for|the Bengali folk instrument|dotara}}

The '''dutar''' ({{lang-fa|دوتار}}, {{lang-tg|дутор}}, {{lang-ug|دۇتتار, Дуттар|Duttar}}, {{lang-uz|dutor}}, Chinese: 都塔尔) (also '''[[Dotara|dotar]]''' or '''doutar''') is a traditional long-necked two-stringed [[lute]] found in [[Iran]] and [[Central Asia]]. Its name comes from the [[Persian language|Persian]] word for "two strings", دو تار ''dotār'' (< دو ''do'' "two", تار ''tār'' "string"), although the [[Herat]]i dutar of [[Afghanistan]] has fourteen strings. When played, the strings are usually plucked by the [[Uyghur people|Uyghurs]] of Western China and strummed and plucked by the [[Tājik people|Tajiks]], [[Turkmen people|Turkmen]], [[Uzbeks]]. Related instruments include the [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] [[dombra]]. The Dutar is also an important instrument among the [[Kurds of Khorasan]] amongst whom Haj Ghorban Soleimani of [[Quchan]] was a noted virtuoso. In [[Northern Kurdish|Kormanji]] one who plays the dutar is known as a bakci ('''bakhshi'''), while in [[Azerbaijani language|Azeri]] the term is [[Ashik|ashiq]]. '''Khorasan bakhshi music''' is recognized on the [[Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]].

At the time of the Dutar's humble origins in the 15th century as a [[shepherd]]'s instrument its strings were made from [[Catgut|gut]]. However, with the opening up of the [[Silk Road]], catgut gave way to strings made from twisted [[silk]] imported from [[China]]. To this day some instruments still feature silk strings, although [[nylon]] strings are also commonly used.

The dutar has a warm, dulcet tone. Typical sizes for the pear-shaped instrument range from one to two meters.

==Notable players==
*[[Turgun Alimatov]] (1922–2008)
*[[Abdurahim Hamidov]] (1952–2013)
*[[Haj Ghorban Soleimani]]
*Sultan Reza Bakci (Geliani) ([[Khorasani]]{{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Haj Mohammad Hossein Yeganeh ([[Khorasani]]{{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Saied Tehranizadeh {{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Abd Allah Amini ([[Khorasani]]{{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Zolfaghar Askarian ([[Khorasani]]{{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Gholam Ali Poor Ataa ([[Khorasani]]{{dn|date=January 2017}})
*Aliia Gholi Yeganeh ([[Turkmen people|Turkmen]])
*Abdurehim Heyit ([[Uyghur people|Uyghur]])

==See also==
{{see also|Lute#History and evolution of the lute}}
*[[Shashmaqam]]
*[[Turgun Alimatov]]
*[[Music of Iran]]
*[[Music of Afghanistan]]
*[[Music of Tajikistan]]
*[[Music of Turkmenistan]]
*[[Music of Central Asia]]
*[[Dotara]]
*[[Bağlama]]
*[[Çiftelia]]

==External links==
{{commons cat|Dutâr}}
*[http://tmhits.com/music/dutar-sazlary-73 Listen famous Dutar tunes]
*[http://www.nay-nava.blogfa.com Encyclopedia of Persian Music Instruments]
*[http://www.grahamflett.com/dutar-music-of-turkmenistan/ Dutar Music of Turkmenistan (ethnomusicology essay by Graham Flett, 2001)]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrfzkTutMKo Youtube video of dutar music]
*[http://picture.yatego.com/images/42e7774e343631.0/dotar_A.jpg Picture of a Dutar]

{{UNESCO Oral and Intangible music}}

[[Category:Iranian musical instruments]]
[[Category:Necked bowl lutes]]
[[Category:Central Asian music]]
[[Category:Uyghur musical instruments]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani musical instruments]]
[[Category:Uzbekistani musical instruments]]
[[Category:Kyrgyz musical instruments]]
[[Category:Afghan musical instruments]]
[[Category:Tajik musical instruments]]
[[Category:Turkmen musical instruments]]
[[Category:Persian words and phrases]]