Masenqo
String musical instrument from Ethiopia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The masenqo (Amharic: ማሲንቆ; Tigrinya: ጭራ-ዋጣ (ዋጣ), also known as masinko or mesenko,[1] is a single-stringed bowed lute commonly found in the musical traditions of Eritrea and Ethiopia.[2] As with the krar, this instrument is used by Ethiopian minstrels called azmaris ("singer" in Amharic) .[3] Although it functions in a purely accompaniment capacity in songs, the masenqo requires considerable virtuosity,[2] as azmaris accompany themselves while singing.
A traditional Ethiopian masinko or chira-wata | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | chordophone |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 321.311 (spike bowed lute) |
| Related instruments | |
Construction and design
The square or diamond-shaped resonator is made of four small wooden boards glued together, then covered with a stretched parchment or rawhide. The single string is typically made of horse hair, and passes over a bridge. The instrument is tuned by means of a large tuning peg to fit the range of the singer's voice.[4] It may be bowed by either the right or left hand, and the non-bow hand sits lightly on top of the upper part of the string.
See also
References
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