How the chiwang makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the chiwang belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The chiwang (Dzongkha: སྤྱི་དབང་; Wylie: spyi-dbang) is a type of fiddle played in Bhutan. The chiwang, the lingm (flute), and the dramyen (lute) comprise the basic instrumental inventory for traditional Bhutanese folk music.
Although the chiwang is considered typically Bhutanese, it is a variety of the piwang, a Tibetan two-stringed fiddle. It is heavily associated with boedra, one of two dominant genres of Bhutanese folk music, in which it symbolizes a horse.
Other lutes
More instruments from Bhutan
Frequently asked questions
What does a chiwang sound like?
As one of the lutes, its sound comes from the way strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck.
What type of instrument is the chiwang?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-71).
Where does the chiwang come from?
The chiwang originates from Bhutan.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q5102596 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Chiwang – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Frederick Spencer Chapman – Public domain