(Baonghean.vn) - The Thai people in the Western region of Nghe An have many types of musical instruments such as: pi, tung, tinh, xi xo lo, leaf horn,... but there is one type of musical instrument that is difficult to play, and even more difficult to make: the khen be.
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| Mr. Vi Thanh Hai, from Chan village, Thach Giam commune (Tuong Duong) is one of the few people in the mountainous district of Tuong Duong who can make and use this musical instrument. He said, "To make a panpipe, one must go through many stages, and every trade union requires the maker to be very careful and meticulous. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Bamboo used to make a panpipe must be straight, even, thin, with equal segments and a diameter of 1.5 cm or less. Bamboo should be 2-3 years old or older. After being collected from the forest, it must be dried in the sun for 4-5 days, then dried on the stove for 6 days before being used to make a panpipe. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Because the bamboo tube is thin and fragile, when cutting, you must use an extremely sharp knife to cut and make it convenient. Depending on the size of the long or short, big or small of a panpipe (usually the base length of the shortest bamboo tube in a panpipe is 40 cm. This is the standard of a traditional panpipe of the Thai people. When cutting, you must cut from top to bottom (the longest tube is cut first, followed by the shorter tubes). Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| As the resonating part of the panpipe, the panpipe must be made of soft, tough wood that is not rotten or fibrous. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Bamboo tubes with finished holes must be tested before being assembled to check the accuracy of each note and tone. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| After testing the notes, the maker must arrange the pipes in order from long to short. When assembling, the large and long pipes must be installed first, followed by the small and short pipes. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| To make the reed pipe, the artisan must painstakingly pound the copper metal by hand. The copper used to make the reed pipe is unmixed, flexible and tough to ensure that when pounded thinly, it will not crack or split. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| In the process of making a reed pipe, the most difficult and important step is installing the copper reed because it will determine whether the reed pipe has the right sound when played or not. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Applying beeswax is the final step to prevent air from escaping when blowing the flute. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| The typical sound of the Khen Be is soulful and profound, expressing the feelings of many couples. For a long time, the sound of the Khen Be has become familiar during Tet holidays, the joyful festivals of the people in the Western land of Nghe An. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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