Khen - Khene (English spelling)

A wind instrument. A sho found in the interior of the Indochina Peninsula, such as Laos. It has seven bamboo tubes, each 70-90 cm long, up to about 2 m long, arranged in two rows, with a wind box (usually made of wood) in between. The reeds are often made of brass. The finger holes on each tube, located slightly above the wind box, are closed and the player blows or sucks through the mouthpiece at one end of the wind box to produce sound. Made in pairs, six of the seven tubes are tuned to eighths each, and the remaining pair is tuned to the same note, and these pairs are usually played simultaneously. It is widely used to accompany folk dances, songs, and narratives.

[Ryūji Uta]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

管楽器。ラオスなどインドシナ半島内陸部の笙(しょう)。長さ70～90センチメートル、長いもので2メートル前後の竹の管が7本ずつ2列に並び、その中間に風箱(かぜばこ)（木製が多い）がある。リードは真鍮(しんちゅう)製が多い。風箱のすこし上に各管一つずつある指孔を閉じ、風箱の一端にある吹口から吹く、または吸うことで、その管の音を鳴らす。2本1組で、7組の管のうち6組はそれぞれ8度に、残り1組は同一音に調律され、普通この1組を同時に奏する。民俗舞踊や歌、語物の伴奏に広く用いられる。

［卜田隆嗣］

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