Engineering:Khomys

From HandWiki

The khomys is a two- or rarely three-stringed plucked instrument, associated with Khakas culture. There are two types: the aghas-khomys and the topchyl-khomys.[1]

Construction

The body, neck, and head of the instrument are carved from a piece of cedar wood. Topchyl-khomys additionally have a piece of animal hide covering the soundboard.[1]

The traditional khomys has strings made of horsehair tuned in fifths, a neck without frets, and a head with wooden pegs.[1]


Method of playing

History

According to P.E. Ostrovskikh, at the end of the 19th century a khomys could be found "in every Khakas yurt".[2] However, use of the instrument began to fade in the 1930s, and it completely fell out of use by the middle of the century.


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Traditional Instruments of the Khakas people - text in English". http://www.face-music.ch/instrum/khakassia/khakas_instrum.html. 
  2. Островских П. Е. Этнографические заметки о тюрках Минусинского края // Живая старина. Вып. III—IV. СПб. 1895.