Tarhui

The Tarhui is a miniature version of the tarhu, tuned around viola pitch. Like the Kamancha Tarhu, the focus of the Tarhui sound is on the greatest possible range of tone colour variations.

Photographs

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MP3 Sound Samples

Tarhui played by Peter Biffin - small Indian ensemble

Tarhui played by Peter Biffin - solo

 

Models

There are now two different construction methods being employed for tarhui, either turned wood or hand-beaten brass. For more information on body types, see here Choosing a Body

Tarhui vibrating string-length is usually 38cm (same as viola)

Brass
4 playing strings with 8 sympathetics - Hand beaten brass body, Blackwood neck, Ebony fingerboard, Schaller gold machine heads
$3700


Turned Wood
4 playing strings with 8 sympathetics - Turned Red Cedar body, Rose mahogany neck, Ebony fingerboard, Schaller gold machine heads,
$4200



Stringing and tuning

Tarhuis use a variety of tunings around viola pitch. While a tarhui can be tuned in 5ths at viola pitch quite successfully, the response usually has more distinctive tarhu characteristics with lower string tension, achieved either by using a lower tension string-set, or by tuning down. A medium tension set of viola strings can be tuned several steps lower than it's normal pitch and still work very effectively.

Tarhuis are made with sympathetic strings which pass through a channel in the middle of the neck.. The sympathetic strings are of plain steel/brass 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.,

Playing Position

Tarhuis are played upright, held between the knees.