My new kemancheh

I picked up my new kemancheh at the office of my Persian music teacher. Here is a picture of the famous Iranian musician , Kayhan Kalhor, playing kemancheh:



I figured that the playing method for this instrument would be different than playing viola, but it was a real shock to me when I actually tried it for the first time. Among the differences between playing kemancheh and viola/violin:

1. You rotate the kemancheh itself when you move to a different string. You move the bow around the viola/violin when you move to a different string.

2. Because your left hand has to rotate the instrument, it is less free to move around for vibrato and glissando. Because the viola/violin is supported between the shoulder and chin, the left hand is freer for those techniques.

3. You control the bow tension with your hand instead of setting the tension with a knob and leaving it there.

4. Violin/Viola is a bit louder than kemancheh

5. The sound is more "exotic" than the violin/viola

I'm excited to add this instrument to my arsenal.