Description: The Pin Pya is a chordophone classified as a stick-zither. In the 8 and 12 centuries the pin pya was widely distributed from India to Indonesia and as far as the Cham Kingdom in Vietnam. It is originally related to the "Veena" family of instruments. The Pin Pya may have migrated to Chang-Mai Thailand from India during the 13th century. Traditional the pin pya is played in weddings, religious rituals and funerals. In a parallel route the Pin Pya migrated to Cambodia under the name “Kse Diev” [a single stringed instrument]. In Northern Thailand the pin pya is played by the Lanna people. In the Lanna culture the pin pya is played by men serenading their partners in a romantic setting.  According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music book 3, the word "Pin" comes from the Sanskrit word "Veena".

In Wiharm Laikam, situated at Wat Phra Sing in Chiang Mai Thailand there are murals that depict musicians playing the pin pya. In Chiang Mai Thailand the two stringed pin pya is the most common. Throughout Thailand and Cambodia three and four strings pin pya also exist. Compositions for the pin pya have been arranged as recently in the 20th century for the pin pya. In Thai classical orchestras the pin pya recently became a featured a instrument, accompanied by the grajapbi (lute) and also to accompany singing.

Playing Techniques:The pin pya is held upright in a vertical position in where the gourd is closest to the chest the metal tip is pointed downwards to the ground. A technique of using harmonics is applied when playing the pin-pya. Harmonics are applied by the ring finger for the first note and the left hand plucks the strings while the middle finger of the left hands plucks the first or second string