If you enjoy music, it is inconceivable to visit Armenia without being impressed by the street musicians, or if you are an entrepreneur or an employee who is interested in starting a music business in Armenia. In both cases, you’ll want to brush up on your Armenian music vocab. In this blog post, you will learn some Armenian Music Related Vocab so let’s get started!
Armenian music-related vocab
Armenia is a country of exotic nature, delicious food, and a heavenly business hub. Who wouldn’t want to visit it? Then you’ve discovered the right blog post. Here, you will learn everything you need to know about the basics of traditional words and phrases used in Armenian music and instruments.
By the end of this article, you will be able to speak Armenian with the natives and communicate better about music. Shakespeare advised, “If music is the food of affection, play on.”
Before jumping right into the Armenian music vocabulary, let us discover some interesting facts about the history of the music of Armenia and the Armenian language. Also, how much influence does the global era have on Armenian music?
For “Free Armenian music-related vocabulary,” keep scrolling down the article below.
| English Words | Armenian Vocabulary | English Translation |
| A clarinet | Կլարնետ | Klarnet |
| Alto clarinet | Ալտ կլառնետ | Alt klarrnet |
| Alto trombone | Ալտո տրոմբոն | Alto trombon |
| Baritone guitar | Բարիտոն կիթառ | Bariton kit’arr |
| Bass clarinet | Բաս կլառնետ | Bas klarrnet |
| Bass flute | Բաս ֆլեյտա | Bas fleyta |
| Bass guitar | Բաս կիթառ | Bas kit’arr |
| Bass ukulele | Բաս ուկուլել | Bas ukulel |
| Berimbau | Բերիմբաու | Berimbau |
| Box drum | Տուփի թմբուկ | Tup’i t’mbuk |
| Contrabass flute | Կոնտրաբաս ֆլեյտա | Kontrabas fleyta |
| Contrabassoon/double bassoon | Կոնտրաֆագոտ/կրկնակի ֆագոտ | Kontrafagot/krknaki fagot |
| Contra-alto flute | Կոնտրալտ ֆլեյտա | Kontralt fleyta |
| Cornet | Կոռնետ | Korrnet |
| D clarinet | Դ կլառնետ | D klarrnet |
| Diatonic harmonica | Դիատոնիկ հարմոնիկա | Diatonik harmonika |
| Double-neck guitar | Կրկնակի պարանոց կիթառ | Krknaki paranots’ kit’arr |
| Eight-string guitar | Ութ լարային կիթառ | Ut’ larayin kit’arr |
| Eight-string tenor | Ութ լարային տենոր | Ut’ larayin tenor |
| Electric violin | Էլեկտրական ջութակ | Elektrakan jut’ak |
| Esraj | Էսրաժ | Esrazh |
| Euphonium | Էյֆոնիում | Eyfonium |
| Fiddle | Ջութակ | Jut’ak |
| Five-stringed banjo | Հինգ լար բանջո | Hing lar banjo |
| Florguitar | Ֆլորգիթառ | Florgit’arr |
| Four-stringed banjo | Չորս լար բանջո | Ch’vors lar banjo |
| Garklein | Գարկլեյնը | Garkleyny |
| Gong | Գոնգ | Gong |
| Great bass | Հիանալի բաս | Hianali bas |
| Guqin | Գուկին | Gukin |
| Harmonica | Հարմոնիկա | Harmonika |
| Harp | քնար | k’nar |
| Kalimba | Կալիմբա | Kalimba |
| Lap steel guitars | Լապ պողպատե կիթառներ | Lap poghpate kit’arrner |
| Mando-bass | Մանդո-բաս | Mando-bas |
| National Steel | Ազգային պողպատ | Azgayin poghpat |
| Nylon-string guitars | Նեյլոնե լարային կիթառներ | Neylone larayin kit’arrner |
| Pan Pipes | Տապակի խողովակներ | Tapaki khoghovakner |
| Pedal steel guitar | Պեդալային պողպատե կիթառ | Pedalayin poghpate kit’arr |
| Pendant ocarina | Կախազարդ օկարինա | Kakhazard okarina |
| Piano | Դաշնամուր | Dashnamur |
| Piccolo clarinet | Պիկկո կլառնետ | Pikko klarrnet |
| Resophonic guitar | Ռեզոֆոնիկ կիթառ | RRezofonik kit’arr |
| Sarod | Սարոդ | Sarod |
| Saxophone | Սաքսոֆոն | Sak’sofon |
| Seven-string guitar | Յոթ լարային կիթառ | Yot’ larayin kit’arr |
| Sitar | Սիթար | Sit’ar |
| Six-string tenor | Վեց լարային տենոր | Vets’ larayin tenor |
| Slide ocarina | Սլայդ օկարինա | Slayd okarina |
| Sopranino saxophone | Սոպրանինո սաքսոֆոն | Sopranino sak’sofon |
| Sopranino trombone | Սոպրանինո տրոմբոն | Sopranino trombon |
| Soprano trumpet | Սոպրանո շեփոր | Soprano shep’vor |
| Suona | Սուոնա | Suona |
| Synthesizer | Սինթեզատոր | Sint’ezator |
| Tenor | Տենոր | Tenor |
| Theremin | Տերմին | Termin |
| Timpani | Տիմպանի | Timpani |
| Tremolo harmonica | Տրեմոլո հարմոնիկա | Tremolo harmonika |
| Tubax | Տուբաքս | Tubak’s |
| Veena | Վեենա | Veena |
| Venova | Վենովան | Venovan |
| Viola | ալտ | alt |
| Yotar | Յոթար | Yot’ar |
Armenian Musical Genres
Music vocabulary should be learned in the target language by everyone who enjoys music or works in the music industry. So, below is a list of typical Armenian words for music genres, as well as their English translations. I hope that these Armenian terms may assist you in expressing your musical interests and preferences.
| English Words | Armenian Vocabulary | English Translation |
| American folk | Ամերիկյան ժողովրդական | Amerikyan zhoghovrdakan |
| Bachata | Բաչատա | Bach’ata |
| Balada | Բալադա | Balada |
| Benga | Բենգա | Benga |
| Bluegrass | Բլյուգրաս | Blyugras |
| Blues | Բլյուզ | Blyuz |
| Bollywood | Բոլիվուդ | Bolivud |
| Calypso | Կալիպսո | Kalipso |
| Carnatic | Կարնատիկ | Karnatik |
| Celtic chant | Կելտական երգ | Keltakan yerg |
| Chimurenga | Չիմուրենգա | Ch’imurenga |
| Classical | Դասական | Dasakan |
| Compas | Կոմպաս | Kompas |
| Country | Երկիր | Yerkir |
| Cumbia | Կումբիա | Kumbia |
| Dancehall | Պարասրահ | Parasrah |
| Drum & bass | Թմբուկ & բաս | T’mbuk & bas |
| Euro-disco | Եվրո-դիսկոտեկ | Yevro-diskotek |
| Gagaku court music | Գագակուի պալատական երաժշտություն | Gagakui palatakan yerazhshtut’yun |
| Grime | Գրիմ | Grim |
| Highlife | Ճոխ կյանք | Chokh kyank’ |
| Indie rock | Ինդի ռոք | Indi rrok’ |
| Industrial | Արդյունաբերական | Ardyunaberakan |
| Inkiranya | Ինկիրանյա | Inkiranya |
| Japanese folk | Ճապոնական ժողովրդական | Chaponakan zhoghovrdakan |
| Jazz | Ջազ | Jaz |
| Majika | Մաջիկա | Majika |
| Mambo | Մամբո | Mambo |
| Mariachi | Մարյաչի | Maryach’i |
| Mento | Մենթո | Ment’vo |
| Oldies | Ծերուկներ | TSerukner |
| Opera | Օպերա | Opera |
| Palm wine | Արմավենու գինի | Armavenu gini |
| Polka | Պոլկա | Polka |
| Pop | Փոփ | P’vop’ |
| Raga rock | Ռագա ռոք | Rraga rrok’ |
| Ranchera | Ռանչերա | Rranch’era |
| Rap | Ռեփ | RRep’ |
| Rhythm & blues | Ռիթմ ընդ բլյուզ | Rrit’m ynd blyuz |
| Rock | Ռոք | Rrok’ |
| Salsa | Սալսա | Salsa |
| Samba | Սամբա | Samba |
| Shaabi | Շաաբի | Shaabi |
| Swing | Ճոճանակ | Chochanak |
| Tango | Տանգո | Tango |
| Techno | Տեխնո | Tekhno |
| Tejano | Թեյանո | T’eyano |
| Trance | Տրանս | Trans |
| Ubongo | Ուբոնգո | Ubongo |
| Vallenatto | Վալենատտո | Valenatto |
| Zouglou | Զուգլու | Zuglu |
| Zouk | Զուկ | Zuk |
Armenian Folk Tradition Of Music
Armenian folk music has a long tradition, even before the middle ages. The national musical instrument of Armenia is the duduk. There were also performing artists in ancient and medieval Armenia called the Gusans, which included folk singers, dancers, instrumentalists, professional folk actors in stage shows, and storytellers.
Traditional Armenian and church music are based on the Tetrachord system. A theoretical endless scale where the first note and the last note, both serve as the same note.
Armenian Religious Music
Religious music in the form of chants was introduced in Armenia after the introduction of Christianity in 301 AD. The most frequent type of religious music in Armenia is the Armenian chant, which is composed in one of eight modes.
Classical Music Of Armenia
The most famous classical music composer of Armenian descent was Aram Khachaturian. He was well-known in the ballet genre and was born in the Soviet Union (now Russia), and later moved to the city of Moscow. His notable composition was the Sabre Dance.
Below are some Armenian vocalists who have achieved worldwide acclaim in classical music.
- Cathy Berberian
- Anna Kasyan
- Tenors Tigran Levonyan
- Vahan Mirakyan
Musicians Of The Armenian Diaspora
Those who survived the Armenian genocide emigrated to various areas of the world and passed down their traditional folk songs and dances. There are several musicians of Armenian descent who live or were born outside of the country.
Below are some notable musicians of Armenian descent and their work around the world.
- Arto Tunçboyacyan, founder of the Armenian Navy Band, is currently in Yerevan.
- In the 1960s, John Berberian was known for his creative combinations of folk songs with rock and jazz.
- Derek Sherinian is a famous keyboardist in the rock genre.
- George Mgrdichian was an Armenian American musician (born in New York) who was famous for playing the oud and clarinet in the jazz genre.
- André Manoukian is an Armenian-born jazz pianist and songwriter who lives in France. He also took part in the creation of a new version of the song Sareri Hovin Mernem, which is an Armenian folk song.
- Naghash Ensemble, etc
The Naghash Ensemble has been on tour worldwide since 2014, with 3 female members on vocals, oud, duduk, piano, and dhol. BR Klassik, a German radio station, also applauded their work.
If you have scrolled down till now, why not further discover the popular music of Armenia?
Popular Music In Armenia
Armenia’s music has been transformed into modern music and is further divided into 3 main categories.
Pop Music Of Armenia
Below are some world-famous, popular genre performers of Armenian descent.
- Ruben Matevosyan
- Ofelya Hambardzumyan
- Suzan Yakar
- Bella Darbinyan
- Datevik Hovanesian
- Adiss Harmandian
- Maxim Panossian
Rabiz Music Of Armenia
The definition of the word “Rabiz” is unclear; however, it is a music genre that portrays Armenians’ culture. It is identified by distinct dance-oriented synth tunes in six by eight rhythmic patterns and lyrics with aspects of Armenian folk songs.
The Rock Music Of Armenia
Below are some of the most popular all-time Armenian rock bands, including some old rock bands as well.
- Arthur Meschian’s Arakyalner (“Apostles”)
- Ayas
- Vostan Hayots
- Arevatsaq Sard
- Bambir 2
- Vordan Karmir
In recent years, Armenian progressive metal bands such as System of a Down, Dorians (band), and Armenian Space Station have appeared on the Armenian music scene.
Now that you have learned about the music of Armenia, let us move on to our Armenian music-related vocabulary.
How To Learn Armenian as a Music Lover?
You’ll approach your studies to differ depending on your ability and need if you’re learning the Armenian language and vocab as a music lover, for which you’ll eventually have to strictly adhere to a set of rules.
- Establish a time frame.
- While planning, choose a strategy while keeping your personal preferences in mind.
- Look for an online tutor.
The online tutor method is dependent on the form of data you’re trying to collect from various approaches. You’ll need to find a suitable website that offers effective services and tools and has excellent reviews. You may want to use a different device, such as a MacBook.
However, if you truly want this method to function properly, you should use a personal computer and fast internet access. If you’re happy with the way you’re learning and it’s helping you learn more about Armenia, stick with it.
E-learning websites can also help you learn a new language and vocabulary. You’ll need to visit popular websites on your internet explorer, check out their services, and decide whether they’re worth your time or not. And if the site is relevant to your interests, then go with that website.
For security reasons, you must input your personally identifiable information (PII) when you register on any website. If those pages accept advertising cookies, select the option of “cookies enable”. Following the identification and security procedures, you will select your account type as a student and complete a form related to free or paid lessons.
Your account is created now and you are ready to begin learning Armenian and vocabulary.
Wrapping Up
That’s it for this blog. If you want to check out more blogs then stay on the Ling App which has additional support material. Get new vocabulary every day. If you want to know about the product details. You can learn to express yourself in several forms, you can share the knowledge with children by telling a story. Our page provides education to countless people. Also, check out the clothes in the Armenian and Armenian Calendar 2022.
Happy learning!
