Turkish kanun

Turkish musician performing on a Turkish kanun (qanun - zither). It has 26 trio strings, in all 78 strings; played on the two knees with two metal plectrums on the fingers. Its sound is like the Australian Zither and Hungarian Cymbalum. The bridge is made of a Kelebek tree or a horn beam tree. Strings are tightened by means of pegs after coming from the bottom of the instrument where they are tied up and passed over the bridge. About 200 metal pegs are fitted on the pegging table which serve as frets. Thickness of strings ranges from 0,60 mm. to 1.20 mm. for low pitches. Roughly a 441 kg. force tension is loaded on the total, creating a pressure of 13,5 kg. on the hide by way of bridges. 'Baga', made of sea-turtoise bone fitted to the special thimbles worn on the fore-finger tips of both the hands. The one who plays Kanun is called a 'Kanuni'. There is a sound range of 3.5 octaves on Kanun. The highest pitch is SOL (RE) @ 1173,37 Hz. frequency.