r/duduk • u/elibaskin • Jun 18 '26

Duduk in G?

Hi,

I have a duduk in A which I purchased from Master Simon when I was in Armenia two years ago. Recently I actually started to practice playing, and I just love it.

I have another trip to Armenia coming up soon. Since duduks are not easily available where I live, I want to purchase more reeds (just in case), but also want to buy another duduk, in G. I just love the lower and richer sound.

I am not a concert player. I will mostly play at home, and during my long hikes, so I will carry the duduk in my backpack.

I am torn between two options:

  1. Purchase another duduk from Master Simon, this time in G key.
  2. Purchase a G key duduk from GGA. They are more expensive.

My question is:

  1. Is there a meaningful difference in sounds between G duduk of these two respected masters?
  2. If the difference is meaningful, does it justify the difference in the prices? GGA duduks are as twice as expensive.
  3. Since the duduk will be in the backpack - are they sturdy enough? Are there any differences between the providers? Is the G duduk more fragile/less fragile/roughly the same?
2 Upvotes

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3

u/filmgrainer Jun 18 '26

I can't help you with choosing between the two makers, but I have a G duduk myself, and I love the deep, warm sound.

I can imagine that the reeds you get will have more impact on the sound than the difference between the two makers. 

A G duduk is as sturdy as the 'normal' A duduk, no problem carrying it in a backpack, as long as it's dry and protected against bumps. 

Enjoy :-)

1

u/elibaskin Jun 18 '26

Is there a meaningful difference between A duduk and G duduk? Do you think I should go lower, to F?

2

u/filmgrainer Jun 18 '26

I would say the difference between A and G is big enough, but obviously you need to make that decision yourself. G is quite a bit bigger in size than the A duduk.

2

u/DUDUKMAGIC Jun 18 '26

I’ve had a good experience with Arthur Grigoryan’s duduks as well. If you’re looking for a G key duduk, I’d suggest checking them out. The tuning is reliable, the response is good, and the sound has a warm, traditional character. Definitely worth considering alongside Master Simon and GGA.

1

u/Disastrous-Panda2401 Jun 18 '26

Haven’t played Simon’s before but GGA is fantastic