Amrin

The Amrin family is a species of stringed musical instruments, developed in the Iron Desert .
The original Amrin design is believed to have developed during the late Neolithic era, created from a single sheet of insect-chitin carved into a flat shape and equipped with strings made from human hair, a poetical notion to "mimic the sound of insects and crown it with the intellect of man". However, the story is apocryphal and the true origin of the Amrin remains unknown. The classical Amrin developed during the Bronze Age, having by then already developed into a number of slightly different instruments. The Amrin family of instruments is certainly not the only family of instruments employed by the people of the desert, but it is by far the most popular and prestigious.
The Amrin are all string instruments resembling a combination of a lute and a zither, based around a board-shaped body made from wood or chitin with a voice-box, commonly accessed by several holes. The strings are commonly made from horsehair or silk, and are generally played by plucking.
In the state of Vht'shjenjé there are professional tutors and schools for study of the Amrin, most notably the Amrins'esh. A system of musical notation exists, based around modified letter of the Essjentine script. This system has in turn given rise to the Amrinshtvá , a musical language based around the musical notation system which allows verbal communication using an Amrin.
==Amrinírts ==
The Amrinírts is a seven-stringed version of the Amrin, with a body generally about 4' long. It is played like a zither, placed on a flat surface and played by plucking the strings with one hand and manipulating the strings with the other. Due to its more simple construction it is common among the less affluent segments of the population and is not necessarily associated with the poet class.
==Amrins'esh==
The Amrins'esh is the largest and most elaborate member of the Amrin family, generally about 5' long and quite heavy. It is played sitting down, leaned against one shoulder and played with both hands at the side of the body. It has 18 strings almost exclusively made from silk and an elaborate system of tuning pegs, making it capable of playing in a remarkably wide sound-spectrum although also making it notoriously difficult to play.
The Amrins'esh instrument is strong associated with the urban elite of the Iron Desert cities, being a cumbersome but intricate instrument. It is considered to be the most sophisticated and cultured instrument of all, and to be able to play it is a sure sign of personal refinement.
==Amrinkáhtvy==
The Amrinkáhtvy is slightly different from most of its cousins as it is played with a bow rather than plucked with the fingers. The strings and the bow are made from horsehair, and it is played in a manner similar to the Amrins'esh but is considerably smaller and more portable. It generally has 9 strings.
==Kshatrysamrin==
The Kshatrysamrin is the smallest common member of the Amrin family and is most popular among the surface-dwelling nomad population. It is carried over the torso in a strap across the shoulder and is played in a manner similar to a guitar. It has 9 strings and has a slightly different sound from many of its cousins, having a notably cheerier tune than the others. It is often favoured by wandering poets as well as it is the only member of the Amrin family that can be comfortably played while standing up, or even on the move.
Category:Culture