Most balalaikas have three single strings along their fretted necks, although six-string versions with three courses of two strings each are not uncommon. The larger bass and contrabass balalaikas are supported by legs that extend from the instrument’s lowest corner and are generally played with a leather pick (plectrum). As these smaller balalaikas create minimal sustain, they are often played with rapid strumming that sounds not unlike the tremolo technique used on a mandolin. The prima, secunda and alto balalaikas are generally played by either strumming with the fingers, while the piccolo balalaika is usually played with a pick. Members of the balalaika family include the prima balalaika (the most common) as well as the piccolo, secunda, alto, bass and contrabass balalaikas. The soundboard (top of the instrument) is made of a soft wood, usually spruce or evergreen, while the resonator (back) is built from multiple – three to nine – wooden sections, usually maple. The balalaika is the quintessential Russian folk musical instrument, easily identifiable by its hollow, triangular body.
