Kemanche Tarhu

The Kemanche Tarhu design preserves all the traditional kemanche techniques, and much of the aesthetics. The focus of the sound is towards the tiniest change with the bow creating the greatest possible change in tone colour. 

Photographs

Select either low resolution (30k > 40 k) or high resolution (200k > 300k) underneath each image.

MP3 Sound Samples

Kemanche Tarhu played by Habil Aliev - tarhu and drum (zarb)

Kemanche Tarhu played by Habil Aliev - small ensemble

Construction

·        The body is made from 18 strips of wood, which are bent and glued together in a similar fashion to lute-back construction.

·        The neck is turned from a single piece of wood.The pegs actually contain geared machine heads inside the shafts.

·        Species of wood that have been used include Silkwood, Tasmanian Blackwood, Queensland Walnut, Silky oak. The instrument on the left was made for Ross Daly and is made from Brazilian Rosewood, the one on the right was made for Habil Aliev and is of Walnut.

  

     

 

Azeri and Persian styles

Vibrating string length is either 33cm, (standard length for Iranian style kemanche) or 29cm (standard length for Azeri style kemanche). The sound adjustments provided by the moveable bridge pin (see Design) allows the sound of any kemanche tarhu to be directed towards the sound pallette of either Azeri or Iranian styles.

 

Stringing and tuning

The kemanche tarhu uses a violin string-set (preferably low tension). Tuning is either fifths (identical to violin) or a mixture of fourths and fifths. As with other tarhus, the kemence tarhu will still work effectively with the strings tuned down a long way from their intended violin tuning. Most common tuning is (highest to lowest) c,g,c,g.           

 

Price

$4000 (aud)