By Sak Bophavann
In 2010, while I was inventing
Takhe Plous, there is my student named Phon Chanthy who lives in Kampong
Chhnang Province, researching to make a small loudspeaker. He interested in
cicada; it is small but why it can sing loudly and melodiously. After the
examination on cicada he knew that the sound is not from its mouth but from its
wings which touch each other lightly and because of a hole in its body only.
Meanwhile I remembered that Takhe is a musical instrument which its shape is
like that of a crocodile, so that we also can make a musical instrument which
shaped like a cicada too.
In February 10th 2011, I
had taken Takhe Plous in order to receiving some opinions from H.E Hun Sarin;
and he also shared about the ideas of making Takhe Kot about 40 years ago. Then
he drew me a pattern of Takhe Kot which shaped like the former Takhe with three
nylon strings, toad (bridge), frets and
everything as the same as of that of the former Takhe but there are two concave
C-bouts at its body (sound box) like that of the Violin.
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| The pattern which H.E Hun Sarin shared to me, three strings, a toad (bridge), two concave C-bouts |
In order to be tied together with
the achievement of our ancestors who invented the former Takhe, I started to
study, merging together my plan with the idea of H.E Hun Sarin. I invented the
playing method, the holding style, the using of fingers and named the strings
(like the strings of Takhe Plous).
After that about two weeks I met
H.E Hun Sarin again at Chenla cultural center. Before the performance started,
we had discussed about Takhe Kot and he encouraged me to invent the Takhe Kot.
In February 26th 2011, I
bought a jackfruit wood from Kampong Chhnang province to make Takhe Kot.
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| The picture of jackfruit wood which I bought from Kampong Chhnang |
In March 4th 2011, I
brought this jackfruit wood to a musical craftsman at Boh Angkanh and finished
in April 5th 2011. This Takhe Kot does not have frets because the
craftsman difficult to curve them and he had no idea to do but there are toad (a
copper box bridge), four nylon strings like that of Takhe Plous and a bow like
that of Tro Khmer. I tested to bow it but it produced sound so lowly and not
good. I decided to make a Yorng (a wooden bridge) like that of Tro instead of
the toad. It produced better sound than before. I experimented the use of Yorng
(bridge) made of many different woods even the bridge of violin until I found a
Yorng made of Srol wood (Srol-a kind of pine tree) which produce the best sound
than others.
The picture of first invention of
Takhe Kot use nylon strings and Yorng (bridge)
After that I had practiced to bow a
few easy songs and brought it to play with other musical instruments; the other
produced sound loudly than Takhe Kot and could not hear any sound from Takhe
Kot. So next, I tested to put steel strings instead of nylon strings, I heard
its sound loudly than before.
In August of 2011, I tried to make
the frets for Takhe Kot and created Takhe Kot with 21 frets use steel strings.
But I found that it is hard to play than Takhe Kot with has no frets.
The picture of second invention of
Takhe Kot with 21 frets use steel strings
In September 2011, I decided to
create by my own hands a newer Takhe Kot which shaped smaller than the former
Takhe Kot of 111 centimeters with has no frets and has no two concave C-bouts
at its body (sound box) like that of the Violin but there just a bit two hollows
on the body, providing clearance for the bow, particularly it also make a sound
box bigger. This newer version of Takhe Kot has a pretty smaller shape, light
weight, easy to transport, easy to find the strings (can use the strings of
Guitar), easy to play.
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| The picture of Sak Bophavan, making Takhe Kot |
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| The picture of third invention of Takhe Kot with pretty small shape |
In December
6th 2011, Takhe Kot has brought to a conference at Royal Academy of
Cambodia about the theme of “The invented Takhe in Khmer arts and music”.
Phnom Penh,
July 21th 2012
Sak Bophavann
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