Description: The qeycheck is a "scull shaped" bowed instrument found in South Eastern regions of Iran.
Having a short neck and eight strings when playing the qeycheck only two of the strings
are bowed. The qeycheck is supported by the musician holding the qeycheck upright on his left knee. Only the first string to the left is fingered. The rest serve
as sympathetic string who enhance the timbre when played.
Several
relatives to the qeycheck are found in North Western India (Rajasthan,
and neighboring areas). In Nepal one would find a 4-stringed Sarinda
(see South Asia) who is a closely related instrument to the Qeycheck.
In Baluchistan (Pakistan) this type of instrument is played amongst the Baluchi
people and is also found and is often accompanied by a form of tambura
(a long necked drone lute) to accompany singing. The qeycheck has a
loud colourful nasal tone when it is played
Anatomy of the Qeycheck: My specimen is highly ornate with glass mirrors; an emerald gem
stone, beads, coins and various metal trinkets glued onto the
instrument. Goat or sheep hide is stretched over the sound hole in
which provide support for the bridge. During the stretching the hide
small pegs are pushed in to holes in which hold the tension of the
hide. A small belt attached to the back of the qeycheck allows for
the qeycheck to be held when standing upright during performance.