Mellotronists

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, Rick Blechta <rick@...> wrote:
>
>
> On Sep 10, 2007, at 7:30 AM, Bernie wrote:
>
> > Anyway, back to the original link...I'll bet Fritz knows what that
> > single string instrument is.
>
> It's called a Ðàn Bâ`u and it's Vietnamese. I've heard that Mike
> Dickson is quite a player of this instrument, although I doubt he'd
> look as good in a dress as the young lady in the video.
>
> If you want to find out more, go here: http://community.vdict.com/
> showthread.php?p=126
>
> Rick
>

I think we're looking at different instruments. The instrument described
in the link would be called a Guzheng in Chinese. The instrument I'm
referring to is the first instrument shown in the clip. It only has one
string, is picked with the right forefinger and the pitch is changed by
using the left hand to manipulate a short bow attached to the
instrument. It has a bit of a theremin sound with an attack. It's some
sort of Chinese minority instrument (maybe Mongolian?). I showed the
clip to my Chinese girlfriend, but she's never seen one before. It's not
a common Chinese instrument like a pipa or erhu or dizi.

Bernie