Music

CYMBALS
Described in various sizes from large ones like those on earth to small delicate finger cymbals used by kajirae in dancing.

" He looked at the girl. He clapped his hands, sharply. There was a clear note of the finger cymbals, sharp, deliberate, bright, and the slave girl danced before us. I regarded the coins; threaded, overlapping, on her belt and halter. They took the firelight beautifully. They glinted, but were of small worth. One dresses such a woman in cheap coins; she is slave." Tribesmen of Gor 8

CZEHAR
The czehar player has the highest prestige among the musicians and is usually the leader. This rectangular shaped instrument has eight strings and is held across the lap and played with a pick.

" One of the instruments was an eight-stringed czehar, rather like a flat oblong box; it is held across the lap when sitting cross-legged and it is played with a horn pick." Nomads of Gor P.153

FLUTE, DOUBLE
The common flute used to accompany different dances. Both Masters and slaves play the double flute. So called "flute girls" played it on the streets of Ar, near the walls to parody or accompany the workers efforts.

"This is not unusual at an Inn. The proportions, then, would be one part paga to five parts water. Commonly, at a paga tavern, the paga would be cut less, or not cut at all. When wine is drunk with Gorean meals, at home, incidentally, it is almost always diluted, mixed with water in a krater. At a party of convivial supper, the host, or elected feast master, usually determines the proportions of water to wine. Un-mixed wine, of course, may be drunk, for example, at the parties of young men, at which might appear dancers, flute slaves and such. Many Gorean wines, it might be mentioned, if only by way of explanation, are very strong, often having an alcohol content by volume of forty to fifty percent." Book 23, Renegades of Gor, page 70

DRUMS
There are many different types of drums, and listed below is a few that are common.

KASKA
A small hand drum and can be played either by a light, soft tapping or in a more vigorously wild rhythm.

"The drummer's fingers light on the taut skin of his instrument, the kaska, then adjusting it, then trying it again, then tapping lightly, then more vigorously, with swift, brief rhythms, limbering his wrists, fingers and hands. The music on Gor, or much of it, is very melodious and sensuous. Much of it seems made for the display of slaves before free men, but then, I suppose, that is exactly what it is made for." Dancer of Gor P. 180

RED HUNTER DRUM
Disk like, very large and heavy drum with a handle. It is held with one hand and beaten with a stick by the other, but it is not struck by the head or hide cover, but on the frame.

"The drum of the red hunters is large and heavy. It has a handle and is disk like. It requires strength to manage it. It is held in one hand and beaten with a stick held in the other. Its frame is generally of wood and its cover, of hide, usually tabuk hide, is fixed on the frame by sinew. Interestingly the drum is not struck on the head, or hide cover, but on the frame. It has an odd resonance. That drum in one hand of the hunter standing now in the midst of the group was some two and one half feet in diameter. " Beasts of Gor P.261-262

TABOR
A small hand drum.

"One wiped the flute, the other was addressing himself to the tabor, loosening some pegs, relaxing the tension of the drumhead. The drumhead is usually made of verr skin, as most often are wineskins." Vagabonds of Gor P.36

KALIKA
The Kalika has six strings, which are adjusted by small wooden cranks. The Kalika resembles the earthen banjo or guitar.

"The other was the kalika, a six-stringed instrument; it, like the czehar, is flat-bridged and its strings are adjusted by means of small wooden cranks; on the other hand, it less resembles a low, flat box and suggests affinities to the banjo or guitar, though the sound box is hemispheric and the neck rather long; it, too, of course, like the czehar, is plucked; I have never seen a bowed instrument on Gor." Nomads of Gor P.153

HERLIT-BONE WHISTLE
This is a bone whistle with a unique sound.

"These rattles were then joined by the fifing of whistles, shrill and high, formed from the wing bones of the taloned Herlit." Blood Brothers of Gor, page 40

SISTRUM
There was no description given.

"There was an accompaniment by sistrums." Marauders of Gor, page 33

"Lastly it might be mentioned, thinking it is of some interest, musicians on Gor are never enslaved; they may of course, be exiled, tortured, slain and such; it is said, perhaps truly, that he who makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull, be free." Nomads of Gor P.44

"Hendow gestured with his head to the musicians, and they made their way, one by one, through the beaded curtain. There were five of them, a czehar player, two kalika players, a flutist and a drummer. In a moment or two, as Mirus solicited further interest among the customers, I heard the sounds of the instruments, the czehar and kalikas being tuned, the flutist trying passages, the drummer's fingers light on the taut skin of his instrument, the kaska, then adjusting it, then trying it again, then tapping lightly, then more vigorously, with swift, brief rhythms, limbering his wrists, fingers and hands. The music of Gor, or much of it, is very melodious and sensuous. Much of it seems made for the display of slaves before free men, but then, I suppose, that is exactly what it is made for. Then the musicians were silent." Dancer of Gor, Page 178-180