Tro Khmer

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

The tro Khmer (Khmer: ទ្រខ្មែរ) is a traditional bowed string instrument from Cambodia. Its body is made from a special type of coconut covered on one end with snake skin, and it has three strings.^[1] Instruments are not standardized, and coconuts vary in size; however the instrument's sound bowl may have dimensions 16.5 cm by 14 cm.^[2] In the past the strings were made of silk. By the 1960s, metal strings were in use, and the sound of the instrument changed, becoming sharper.^[1]

The tro Khmer is closely related to a Thai instrument called saw sam sai.

The instrument may be related to the similarly shaped Indonesian version of the rebab, arriving there from Muslim culture, c. 15th century a.d.^[1] A difference between the two is the number of stings; where the Indonesian rebab has two strings, the tro Khmer has three.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Kersalé Patrick. "Fiddle - tro khmer". soundsofangkor.org/. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b Khean, Yun; Dorivan, Keo; Lina, Y; Lenna, Mao. Traditional Musical Instruments of Cambodia (PDF). Kingdom of Cambodia: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. p. 59.