Hi all!
My friend found this picture of Björk online the other day and we're trying to figure out what instrument she is holding.
Any idea? It seems to have only two strings. Thanks!
I can't recall the name, but it is an East Asian instrument - I think Chinese (like Lalou said). I remember seeing them in a couple of homes when I lived in Honolulu, though I never heard them played.
Thanks! Made a quick Google search on vietnamese Đàn nguyệt and Đàn sến (such lovely instruments!), I think these have raised frets? Our mystery instrument seems to have low action...
I think you might very well be right Josh. Wikipedia says it can also have two strings and it looks really similar. Ok, I'll tell my friend the mystery has been solved
Thanks!
Does it have 2 or 3 strings? It looks like 2, which makes me think Er Hu, though it does look much like a Qinqin, though they, to the best of my knowledge, always have 3 strings. Interesting...
Does it have 2 or 3 strings? It looks like 2, which makes me think Er Hu, though it does look much like a Qinqin, though they, to the best of my knowledge, always have 3 strings. Interesting...
Except that an Er Hu is a bowed instrument, with the hairs of the bow in between the strings. it is also played vertically, not horizontally, and the skin - usually python skin - is a much smaller area. i think mine (for decoration only!) has about a 3-1/2 or 4" diameter "hoop" (since I can't recall the correct term), which is also longer than it is wide. (Which reminds me of Melanie Safka's song "Psychotherapy", but that's a much different discussion....)