Musical Instruments
Tut
This is a percussion instrument similar to a drum. It is commonly made from thick rods of wood which have been hollowed out. Each rod is of a different width, and all are tied together with a braided rope, set into two levels of notches on each rod. The tops of these rods are covered with tightly bound leather. The tut is then struck upon with a stick. Each rod may be struck on the wooden base, to create a sharp, quick noise, or the leather cover, for a deeper, reverberating sound. The tut originated in Balada, and has very little prevalence outside the province. It is most often used in rituals, songs, and dances depicting war, and a very large tut is struck upon to signal the arrival or departure of an army from any village or city.
Vanra
The vanra is a popular instrument in many lower class taverns. Its large size keeps it from being commonly owned, but many are available for public enjoyment. The vanra consists of a large metal barrel, within which are several gears and compression bags, which lead into metal rods of varying width and length. The top of the barrel is covered in a tightly bound, brightly coloured cloth. The pattern on the cloth helps to indicate where pressure sensitive areas are located. When struck upon, the vanra creates a booming drum sound, accompanied by reedy whistles. It is, essentially, a band in a box. A quick and dirty way of creating a simple beat for the dance floor.
While commonly found, it takes many years of practice and dedication to truly master the complicated vanra. Very few musicians choose this instrument because of this. Those that do very often have a unique vanra commissioned, with a cloth dyed so as to better guide them to play the numerous notes this instrument can produce.
Muar
The muar is an uncommon instrument prevalent in Sultherem. In consists of a large copper jar with a hole drilled through the center. A pipe is placed through the hole, and rested on circular arms that connect to a wide, flat base. This allows the jar itself to hang freely. The jar is filled with tiny metal beads, and, in order to create sound, the musician rocks the instrument from side to side on its pedestal. The beads clash against each other. If rocked gently, it sounds like falling rain, but if set to rock at a frantic pace the beads will crash against the metal sides of the jar and create a cacophony of clangs. The muar is often used during feasts of all classes, to create an elegant background noise. It is also used to create mood and environment for many plays, as the sound the muar makes travels much further than similar shaken instruments.
Rithn
The rithn is a very rare and expensive percussion instrument. It is made from elegant crafted rods of crystal, which are set in a metal base. Each crystal is of a different thickness and length, and many are also hollowed out, so as to create a wider variety of sounds. A metal or glass stick (called a sound, in this case) is used to gently strike each crystal, which creates a reverberation. The rithn creates light, pleasant sounds, which tend to hover in the air and echo slowly from existence. Rithn musicians use this particular trait to create patterns of sound that feed off of one another. While one sound is dying, another comes part-way through its vibration, meaning that many notes can hang in the air at once.
Frix
This is a wind instrument, common to Anygh. As with most Anyghian inventions, it is utterly complex, but very aesthetically pleasing, technologically advanced, and, most importantly of all, functional. The frix consists of three tubes connected in a trident-like pattern, with a single mouth hole at the end. There are nobs connected to each separate tube, which allows the holes to be opened to varying degrees, altering the overall tone of the sound produced. An individual is required to cover holes on all three rods whilst blowing into the mouth hole. It is a very difficult instrument to master, but can produce a wide range of tones and notes, and is one of the most popular instruments in Anygh.
The frix is most often made of copper or bronze, occasionally nickel for those who can’t afford higher quality metals. The two outer reeds are six inches in length, whilst the middle is nine inches. Beginners learning the frix will often have it supported on a special stand, allowing them to adjust their grip and cover holes more easily. Even professionals can use this crutch with little injury to their reputation.