Tobshuur
The
Tobshuur is a two stringed lute of western Mongolia. There are three types, a
necked bowled lute which is used by the
Altai‑Uriangkhai,
Biat and Torgut Yatsan. A spiked boxed lute, used by the Bait, Dorbot, Altia‑Uriangkhai
and Dzakhchin
Yastan
and a spiked bowl lute used by the Dorbot, Dzakhchin and Torgut Yastan. All
three can be made of larch, pine or other wood and usually have a skin covering
of baby camels hair.
Traditional
the strings are made from twisted horse hair. The thinner string should be
twisted clockwise, the thicker anti‑clockwise. The strings are tuned a
fourth apart and plucked with the thumb and fore finger or strummed
The
Tobshuur is traditionally used by epic singer to accompany their recitation
with a regular repeated pattern.
Like
the Morin Khuur the Tobshuur also has a repertoire of tunes known as the
Tsokhilt (striking). Tsokhilt can be descriptive pieces imitating nature and
animals or biylegee dance tunes.
The topshuur is one of the original nomadic instruments due to its lightness and transportability. It has been used from time immemorial in accompanying the transmission of Mongolian aural history through epics and legends told across the central Asian Steppes.