Morin khuur

Sound and Character

The sound of the morin khuur is thick, deep, rolling, and remarkably accurate in imitating a horse’s neigh, the sound of hooves running, and the howling of the steppe wind. It is filled with the powerful energy of nomadic civilization.

Design and Features

A trapezoidal wooden body covered with animal skin. The main distinctive feature is the carved pegbox head in the shape of a horse’s head. Only 2 horsehair strings are stretched across the instrument (a primary female string and a bass male string), and the bow is also made from a loose bundle of horsehair, which the musician tightens by hand while playing.

Genres Used In

• Mongolian traditional long song (urtyn duu)
• Ritual music and steppe folk
• Mongolian ethno-rock and metal (e.g., the band The Hu)