How the kobyz makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the kobyz 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.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
The kobyz or qobyz, also known as the kylkobyz, is an ancient Turkic bowed string instrument, spread among Kazakhs, Karakalpaks, Bashkirs, and Tatars. The Kyrgyz variant is called the kyl-kyiak).
In organological terms, the traditional Kazakh qyl-qobyz is a two-stringed, fretless bowed lute whose strings are made from horsehair. Ethnomusicologist Saule Utegalieva describes it as one of the two prominent traditional lutes of the Kazakhs, alongside the plucked dombra, while noting that the kobyz historically occupied a more restricted and sacred sphere of performance. The instrument has also been examined as a bearer of historical, social and musical memory in modern Kazakhstan, where performers have interpreted it in different ways as part of discussions of Kazakh identity.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a kobyz 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 kobyz?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.321-7).
Where does the kobyz come from?
The kobyz originates from Kazakhstan.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q1778051 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Kobyz – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Post of Kazakhstan; original uploader was Wassily at ru.wikipedia – Public domain