Saùng-gauk
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The Saung-Gauk is the classical arched harp of Burma. It is similar to the harp of ancient Egypt which appeared more than 4,000 years ago. To play the saung-gauk, you hold it on your lap with its neck pointing forward. Music is produced by plucking the strings with the thumb and first finger of the right hand, while the left thumb presses against the strings to raise their pitch. The saung-gauk usually accompanies songs.
| Family |
| Strings |
| Pitch range |
| Over two octaves. |
| Material |
| Wood, with nylon, silk, or gut strings. |
| Size |
| Body around 28 in (71 cm) long. |
| Origins |
| The saung-gauk has been played in Burma, since at least the 7th century. |
| Classification |
| Chordophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of strings. |
| And also... |
| The elegant arched neck of the saung-gauk is constructed from a carefully selected curved root of an acacia tree. The neck tapers along the whole of its length before widening out at the end to a flat disk, which represents a leaf from the local "bo" tree. |
