Keyword: Qanun

Qanun

The qanun (in Arabic), or kanun (in Turkish), is a popular Middle Eastern string instrument. It is plucked with a tortoise shell pick in each hand to produce a ringing, harp-like sound.

It is generally regarded as a kind of zither, which is a blanket term for any stringed instrument on which the strings do not extend past the sound box. The body of the qanun is trapezoidal in shape, with three sides attached at ninety-degree angles and one slanted side.