Long-legged frog

We have found some written explanations, but they are not detailed, which makes it difficult for us to determine the source of the word chapei and the origin of this instrument. According to the explanation of the word pin in the Khmer dictionary of Samdech Sangharach Chuon Nath, published in 2511, page 751, it says that pin (pin or t.s.s.) n (sam. ba. vina) chapei: to play the pin. However, we still do not dare to conclude that chapei is a pin or a pin is chapei. Because both the appearance and the function are very different. If we look at the shape of the lute, we will see that the lute is a type of musical instrument with strings, and the change from one note to another varies according to the distance between the strings we play. This is different from the harp, where the sound depends on each string. If a harp has 16 strings, it also has 16 notes. And if we look further, the Indian veena is also a type of instrument with strings. But we use the word veena (harp) to refer to an ancient musical instrument with carvings on the walls of the strings as a lute. In the author's opinion, the lute should be considered a separate instrument from the chapei, and the lute may have originated before the chapei because we can see instruments similar to our lute on ancient Egyptian tombs, an ancient human civilization, and can also be found among some indigenous tribes around the world. According to the explanation of Oknha Tep Pitur Krasem Kunthbandit about the history of the mahori orchestra, "The orchestra called "mahori" is a Khmer music that has existed since ancient times, which the Khmer people first created with their own ideas. At the time when the Khmer arrived in Cambodia, "......" In the following description, there is also a description of the original Khmer musical instruments, including the "chapei". If we observe the phrase “come down to Cambodia…” and the word “chapei,” and based on the historical event that our ancestors established a new capital in Phnom Penh in 1432, we can conclude that the presence of the chapei in Khmer culture occurred before 1432 (15th century).

In terms of its role, the lute is a musical instrument for theism, used in lute orchestras to offer prayers to deities, which is completely different from the chapei, which is a musical instrument influenced by Buddhism and for Khmer life, such as performing the chapei in an educational sense and performing in the music of the gods. and Mahori. The long-stringed chabei is divided into three parts: the body, strings, and nails, as follows:

1. Snook (sound box) is almost round and square, made of jackfruit or beng wood.

2. The front cover is made of light wood such as pine or loros.

3. The strings are made of krasang tree.

4. There are twelve strings, made of wood or ivory.

5. There are two strings. The first string is for playing the melody and the second string is for the chorus. The third string is for holding the string so that it does not fall off.

6. Three hooks or snares.

7. A hook for holding the string beyond the string.

8. A hook or snares.

9. A nail for the string, made of bone or nylon string.

The two-tone snares are as follows: “The snook represents the head of a dragon, the snares represent the body of a dragon, and the snares represent the tail of a dragon.”According to ancient beliefs, the image on this instrument is “The snook represents the head of a dragon, the snares represent the body of a dragon, and the snares represent the tail of a dragon.”