I've recently been really enjoying Tuvan music and the philosophies and views they have on music. All of their instruments are made from things they find in nature, wood, bone, hides etc. Their music too is a form of mimicry of their surroundings, often the rhythms are akin to horse hooves, the throat singing resembles the wind in the rushes and the 'deepness' of the mountains. It's really amazing stuff!
Their instruments are often adorned with carved horse heads, the horse being a very significant animal in their culture. Inspired by the Tuvans, I thought I'd try my hand at carving a skull to adorn a neck. The rest of the build was partly inspired by the Tuvan instrument the Igil. A 2-stringed fretless bowed instrument.
The neck of my Igili-ish creation was taken from the leg of a piano stool. The back and sides and soundboard are from an old cupboard. Tuning pegs are salvaged from an old piano and the bridge I found on the floor!
It's going to take me some time to practise before I can get any good sounds from it, I've not played bowed instruments that often in the past. So for now you'll just have to enjoy the images!
