Khushtar


The khushtar is a bowed stringed instrument from the Uyghur Region, Western China. It has 4 strings in 4 courses and is tuned G, D, A, E.
Sometimes the Khushtar also has sympathetic strings. It is most common among the Uyghur peoples in the Xinjiang province of Western China, especially Urumqi.

Construction

The Khushtar has a body made of staves like a lute or oud. These staves are usually made of mulberry or apricot wood. The soundboard is usually made of pine. The instrument will often have a carving of a bird on the top of the head scroll. The pegs are often made of walnut wood.

Playing technique

The instrument is played upright on the knee, with the curved attachment on the end of the body resting on the knee itself.