The ''saw u'' ( th,
ซออู้, , ; also spelled ''saw ou'') is a Thai bowed
string instrument
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the ...
. It has a lower pitch than the
saw duang
A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mov ...
and is the lowest sounding of the saw family.
Reliable evidence shows that pattern of the Saw U was probably taken from the Chinese instrument and it is very similar to a two stringed Chinese instrument called the hu hu. The saw U was invented since the age of the present Bangkok period (c. 1782) or perhaps from the end of the preceding in the age of Ayudya (c.1700 - 1767). By the end of the 19th century, the Saw U was added to the pi-phat-mai nuam ensemble which uses padded playing sticks and the pi phat derk dam ban which is a special pi phat ensemble in a particular form of theater. From the past Saw U was generally played in
pi phat
A ''piphat'' is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the ...
ensemble with other accompanying instruments. Thai people call it “Saw U” because of the characteristic sound that Thai people heard from it.
The soundbox is made from a
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
shell that is covered on the open front by cowskin. The saw u is held vertically and has two silk strings that are played with a bow. The bow is between the strings and the player tilts the bow to play each string. The bow is made out of horse tail hair like every other bow and needs to have rosin put on occasionally just like a western stringed instrument. The saw u is a very fragile instrument and is played traditionally on the lap sitting down. The saw u can be played as a solo instrument in some cases but is mainly used for the backbone in some ensembles because of its rich, dark, and mellow tone. The saw u performs its best when playing slow to moderate paced melodies. The sound that the saw u makes is more fit for those types of songs rather than fast paced melodies. The ''morn'' (bridge) that rests at the bottom is extremely sensitive and drifts over time, causing changes in tone. The ''saw u'' is similar to the Cambodian ''
tro u
The ''tro'' ( km, ទ្រ) is Cambodia's traditional spike fiddles, bowed string instruments that are held and played vertically. Spike fiddles have a handle that passes through the resonator, often forming a spike, on the bottom side where i ...
'' and was developed by the Chinese into the ''
yehu
The ''yehu'' () is a bowed string instrument in the ''huqin'' family of Chinese musical instruments. ''Ye'' means coconut and ''hu'' is short for ''huqin''. It is used particularly in the southern coastal provinces of China and in Taiwan. The i ...
''.
References
External links
Sound sample
{{Authority control
Drumhead lutes
Thai musical instruments
Bowed instruments