Music of Central Asia

The musical traditions of Central Asia mirror the immense diversity found in the cultures and populations residing in the region. Principal instrument types are two- or three-stringed lutes, the necks either fretted or fretless; fiddles made of horsehair; flutes, mostly sige at both ends and either end-blown or side-blown; and jew harps, mostly metal. Percussion instruments include frame drums, tamtam... Origin of the bowed string is thought to originate with nomads who mainly used the snake-skin, covered horsetail-bowed lute.