Instructions

1

Sit in a chair to play the balalaika.
2

Use the thumb and index finger of your left hand to hold the instrument.
3

Hold the balalaika close to your chest with the body of the instrument resting under your right arm and the corner between your knees.
4

Strum high on the soundboard near the neck.
5

Relax the hand, wrist and forearm, and strum from the elbow, using the edge of your thumb or tip of your index finger.
6

Use a finger technique similar to playing a violin with the left hand.
7

Listen and learn well-loved Russian folk songs at the Balalaika School on the Kaikracht website, including "Evening Bells," "Along the Petersburg Road" and "Cossack Lullaby." You can print out an entire tutorial at this site and learn some common Russian phrases.