Kamancheh

Sound and Character

The timbre of the kamancheh is piercing, velvety, deeply melancholic, and soaring. The design features allow the musician to rotate the instrument around its axis while playing, easily changing strings under the bow.

Design and Features

It features a round (spherical) wooden or gourd body covered with a thin fish skin or membrane. A long straight fretless neck holds 4 strings. The instrument rests on an iron spike that abuts the floor or the musician’s knee.

Genres Used In

• Classical Middle Eastern mugham and dastgah
• Caucasian and Persian folklore
• Ethno-jazz and world crossover