Memorable Evening. Monostring Chordophone - Ðàn Bâ`u

If one sound had to be chosen to evoke Vietnam, it would be the sound of dan bau. The structure of the dan bau is very simple. It consists of a long piece of wood on which a silk or brass string is stretched, and fastened at one end by a peg, and tied at the other end by a flexible bamboo plate. The string is passed repeatedly through an open dried gourd (bâ`u) used as a sound box. Dan bau does not have any frets.

According to Vietnamese legend, dan bau has traditionally played in the groups of blind musicians, because only the blinds have greatest hearing sense to listen to the magical sounds of this instrument. Today, dan bau takes part in the ensembles of cheo, cai luong theatrical music, and even in modern music as you can see in Asia Entertainment Videos.

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