Immerse yourself into the fascinating world of Vietnamese sounds with the Dan Bau! This extraordinary instrument combines tradition and modernity in a unique way and takes you to faraway worlds with its lyrical, melancholy tones. From cheerful to poignant – the sound of the dan bau conveys deep emotions like few other instruments.
Thanks to the variety of playing techniques and the wide sound spectrum of at least two octaves, you can experiment endlessly with the Dan Bau. Whether traditional, harmonic or quirky – the Dan Bau is a particularly versatile stringed instrument! If you want to find out more, be sure to check out our sound examples and the linked video course (below)!
As the Dan Bau only has one string, it is also known as a monochord. The string is plucked from below with a plectrum or fingernail and damped with the ball of the thumb. This technique produces the bright, poetic harmonics. You can vary the pitch and create exciting effects such as glissandi or vibrato with the flexible rod/stick. It can be tuned to different keynotes and the position of the overtones can be marked on the soundboard below the string, as can be seen in the video course.
What's really fun is experimenting with sound effects! Simply connect your Dan Bau to an amplifier or effect device and let your creativity run wild. Our Dan Baus are already equipped with a passive pickup. So all you need is an amplifier and an instrument cable (6.3 mm jack) to get started. It is important that the string is placed directly above the small pickup to generate the best sound.
Speaking of strings: we deliver the Dan Bau with two plain steel strings (one replacement string) with a thickness of 0.4 mm. Steel strings (guitar strings) ranging from about 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm are suitable for our Dan Bau. This roughly corresponds to string sizes 015 to 030.
The dark hardwood body, the brightly shimmering top made of well resonating wood and the floral mother-of-pearl inlays give the Dan Bau a noble touch. The Dan Bau is produced in a small, family-run manufactory in the old craftsmanship tradition. Minimal irregularities in the workmanship have no effect on the sound of the stringed instrument.
Practical for travelling: you can simply fold up the Dan Bau and store it in the bag supplied. When you're not using the instrument, you can hang it on the wall to save space by attaching it to the opening on the back. It also looks very decorative.
Let yourself be carried away by the fascinating soundscape of the Dan Bau and discover your own sound. With the Dan Bau, you can always create up a unique atmosphere.
Learning Dan Bau with the Free Online Course at HOOU
