Karnay: Iran musical instrument

The karnay is a long trumpet that has a mouthpiece. The musical instrument is used in the music of Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where it is said to be seen as a national musical instrument.

source of picture: indiana.edu

The instrument is wind musical instrument that as well as the surnasi was not modernized for groups or orchestra and subsists in traditional form. The musical instrument is used specifically for signaling or as a ceremonial musical instrument that has a powerful sound and piecing tone quality. The instrument is of two variations, the muiuz kernei and the jez kernei. Both of them are different musical instruments, but they are combined by the lack of playing apertures.

The muiuz kernei is an old musical instrument that is manufactured from a curved mountain goat horn, ranging in length between 30 cm to 40 cm. The musical instrument does not have a mouthpiece and provides only a few sounds of thick and soft tone quality.

The jez kernei is a 1 to 2 meters long longitudinal trumpet that is with or without mouthpiece. Faucet diameter is 20 cm. the similarity between this musical instrument and the muiuz version of the musical instrument is accounted by the territorial nearness of the Uzbekistan and South Kyrgyzstan. The sound of the instrument is very strong, long and meant for outdoor events. Sometime in the past, the instrument’s applied function was prohibited by notification of important activities, but in the contemporary days, the instrument is typically used for national holidays.