Long-neck Tarhu

The long-neck tarhu came into existence to make available a range of musical styles that couldn’t previously be played on one instrument. The long, slender neck allows 2½ octaves to be played on a single string with the melodic fluidity encountered on traditional instruments that employ along-the-string techniques.

The use of 4 playing strings also facilitates playing across the strings (with similar string-crossing techniques used by the violin family), and extends the range of easily available notes to nearly 4½ octaves. It is the tarhu's ability to employ both these principals that give it access to such a variety of musical styles.

Since 1998, one of the design goals for the long-neck tarhu has been for it to function equally well as both a bowed and a plucked instrument. The acoustic design that gives the tarhu such a range of tone colours with the bow also makes a large variety of sounds available when it is plucked - especially noticeable in the attack of each note. A small change in plucking angle can change the attack from fast and percussive to smooth and flowing.

The long-neck Tarhu is now capable of playing a large range of styles from East and West, using either bow, several different forms of plectra, and fingerstyle.

Photographs

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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 has an adjustable truss rod, with sympathetic strings passing along a channel in the middle of the neck

·        The tarhu pictured on the left is made from Jarrah, and the tarhu on the right is made from Silkwood. Other species that have been used include Tasmanian Blackwood, Rosewood and Silky Oak.

·        String length is 80cm, which is the maximum length available using cello strings.

Stringing and Tuning

4 playing strings and 8 sympathetic strings, all tuned with Schaller machine heads.

·        Playing strings consist of (from highest to lowest): Cello E (used for 5 string cellos); CelloA; Cello D; Cello G. A variety of tunings have been used, including:

g,d,a,d (probably the most common)

g,d,a,e (same as lowest 4 strings on a guitar);

a,d,a,d

f,c,g,c

g,c,g,c

a,d,g,c

·        Sympathetic strings are of plain steel in a range of gauges. These strings sound best if the tension is kept low, which also means that breakages are very uncommon. The sympathetic strings are usually tuned to whichever scale is being played, or alternatively to a selection of chromatic notes when the music played involves a lot of modulation.

Fretting

Traditionally, long-necked bowed instruments are fretted with threads tied around the neck, and this method has been found quite suitable for the tarhu. Many different tuning systems become available using tied frets, as the threads are moveable, and are easily added or removed. Systems range from the familiar Western 12 tone equal temperament, thru to traditional Turkish tanbur fretting of 27 notes to the octave.

Price

$5000 (aud)