Dear friends!
This site is dedicated to learning the balalaika, Russia's most beloved instrument!
New to iBalalaika? A few things you should know: I created this site to be a resource to help you get started and develop your skills in playing the balalaika. I've posted 25 video tutorials so far on how to play songs from the Balalaika Fake Book. Several are free downloads, and I consistently release new tutorials every month. You'll notice that many videos are available to members only.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 25
The Holiday Medley - a FREE EPISODE, get it here
You can get Holiday Medley sheet music here
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika three popular holiday season's tunes: A Little Christmas tree, My Dreidl and Jingle Bells. A Little Christmas Tree is a Russian children's song known in Russia as "V lesu rodilas' yolochka".
I would like to wish everybody a happy and merry Christmas and wonderful Hannukah! May your hearts will be always filled with joy, happiness and peace!
My special thanks go to the MEMBERS, it is you who made it all possible!
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 24
Dark Night "Tyomnaya noch"
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika a very popular song Dark Night "Tyomnaya noch." This song was popular during and after the Great Patriotic War or as it is know in this country the World War II. You can view a video clip on YouTube here or listen to the song here.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 23
Dark Eyes "Ochi chyornye" Les yeux noir
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika the most popular Russian tune Dark Eyes "Ochi chyornnye". You can view a video clip on YouTube here or listen to the song here.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 22
Cranes "Zhuravli"
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika a very popular Russian tango Crances, another name would be Here, Under the Hostile Sky. My favorite performance of it is by incomparable Zhenya Shevchenko. You can listen to her sing this tango here.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 21
Coachman, Hold Your Horses! "Ямщик, не гони лошадей!"
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika an old Russian Romans Coachman, Hold your Horses! "Yamschik, ne goni loshadey!". This romance was written around 1900 and quickly became popular and stays very popular up to this day. You can view a video clip on YouTube here or listen to the song here.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 21
Coachman, Hold Your Horses! "Ямщик, не гони лошадей!"
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 20
Clouds Over the City "Тучи над городом встали"
In this episode you will learn to play on the balalaika a song Clouds Over the City "Tuchi nad gorodom vstali". This is a song/waltz from a very famous movie A Man With a Rifle "Человек с ружьём". You can view a short clip from that movie here or listen to the song here.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video 19
The Chicken Is Roasted "Tzyplyonok zhareni"
In this episod you will learn The Chicken Is Roasted "Tzyplyonok Zhareni". This is a song that became popular in the time of "military communizm" in Russia in 1917-1921 and was popularized in many Soviet film about the Revolution and Russian Civil War. You can view a clip from one of these films here.
This video lesson and the accompaniment practice tracks are available only to iBalalaika Premium Members. If you’re not a member yet, you can follow this link to learn more.
Introducing the long awaited Balalaika Fake Book compiled by Alex Siniavski
The Balalaika Fake Book Tutorial Video lessons are now available! I am putting more videos every week!
The full list of the video lessons so far:
25. Holiday Medley
This is a free episode
24. Dark Night "Tyomnaya noch"
23. Dark Eyes "Ochi chyornye"
22. Cranes "Zhuravli"
21. Coachman, Hold Your Horses! "Yamschik, ne goni loshadey!"
20. Clouds Over the City "Tuchi nad gorodom vstali"
19. The Chicken Is Roasted "Tzyplyonok zhareni"
18. Char-à-banc "Sharaban"
17. Burn, Burn, Gypsy Love "Gori, gori, lyubov' tzyganki"
16. Bright Is the Night "Noch svetla"
15. Bright Face, Round Face "Belolitsa, kruglolitsa"
14. Blue Scarf "Krutitsa, vertitsa" This is a free episode
13. Blue Kerchief "Siniy platochek"
12. Birds Fly Home "Domoy vozvraschayutsa ptitzy"
11. Amplification of the Balalaika (coming soon)
10. Birds Are Flying Away "Letyat perelyotnye ptitzy"
9. Before I Go, I'd Like To Say "A naposledok ya skazhu.."
8. Barynya
7. Bublichki
6. Autumn Slumber Waltz "Vals Osenniy son"
5. At the Samovar "U samovara"
4. Along the Piterskaya Road "Vdol' po piterskoy"
3. Along the Mourom Road "Po muromskoy dorozhke"
2. The Peddlers "Korobushka" This is a free episode
1. The balalaika set-up and tuning