The morin khuur (Mongolian: морин хуур, written in the Latin alphabet as morin khuur; Mandarin Chinese: 马头琴, which means "horsehead fiddle") is a traditional Mongolian bowed string instrument. It is one of the most important musical instruments for the Mongol people and is seen as a symbol of Mongolia. The morin khuur is listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Name
In Mongolian, the instrument is usually called morin khuur [mɔrin xʊːr] or "horse fiddle." The full name in Classical Mongolian is morin toloğay’ta quğur, which in modern Khalkh Cyrillic is written as Морин толгойтой хуур. This name means "fiddle with a horse's head." It is often shortened to "Морин хуур," which is written in Latin letters as "Morin huur." In western Mongolia, the instrument is called ikil (Mongolian: икил). This should not be confused with the similar Tuvan instrument called igil. In eastern Mongolia, it is known as shoor (Mongolian: Шоор).
Construction
The instrument has a trapezoid-shaped wooden frame with a hollow sound box. Two strings are attached to this frame. The musician holds the instrument almost upright, with the sound box resting in their lap or between their legs. The strings are made from nylon or horsehair, stretched parallel across a wooden bridge on the body. They travel up a long neck, over a second smaller bridge, and connect to two tuning pegs in the scroll, which is often shaped like a horse's head.
The bow is made of horsehair wrapped with resin from larch or cedar wood. It is held under the hand with the right hand. This grip allows the hand to adjust the tightness of the bow hair, which controls the instrument's sound quality.
The thicker string, called the "male" string, traditionally used 130 hairs from a stallion’s tail, while the thinner "female" string used 105 hairs from a mare’s tail. Today, nylon is commonly used for strings. In the past, the strings were tuned a fifth apart, but modern versions are usually tuned a fourth apart, often to B-flat and F. Players stop the strings by pressing them between the joints of the index and middle fingers or between the little finger’s nail and the ring finger’s pad.
Traditionally, the frame was covered with camel, goat, or sheep skin, with a small opening in the back. Since the 1970s, new instruments have been made entirely of wood, with carved f-holes like those on European string instruments.
Beginner-level morin khuur instruments often have a pine top and birch or layered wood for the back and sides. Higher-quality instruments use spruce for the top and birch for the back and sides. Some classical instruments use maple for a brighter sound.
The modern standard height is 1.15 meters (3 feet 9 inches). The distance between the two bridges is about 60 centimeters (24 inches), though the upper bridge can be adjusted for smaller players. The sound box is 8–9 centimeters (3.1–3.5 inches) deep, with a width of 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) at the top and 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) at the bottom. High-quality instruments can produce sound levels up to 85 dBA, allowing them to be played at moderate or loud volumes. When using horsehair, makers often prefer white stallion hair. The quality of horsehair strings depends on how they are prepared, the climate, and the animals’ nutrition, which can lead to wide differences in quality.
Nylon strings (Khalkh Mongolian: сатуркан хялгас) can last up to two years if properly prepared and placed on the instrument. Many beginners do not comb the strings, which causes the sound quality to decline quickly. High-quality strings produce a sound similar to steel strings and show about 7–8 harmonics in sound tests.
Morin khuur instruments vary by region. Instruments from central Mongolia usually have larger bodies, creating more volume than the smaller instruments from Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolian instruments often use mechanical devices to tighten the strings, while Mongolian makers traditionally use ebony or rosewood pegs shaped slightly conically. In Tuva, the morin khuur is sometimes used instead of the igil.
Origin
One story about the beginning of the morin khuur says that a shepherd named Namjil the Cuckoo (or Khuhuu Namjil) was given a flying horse as a gift. Each night, he would ride the horse to visit his love. A jealous woman cut off the horse’s wings, causing it to fall from the sky and die. The sad shepherd made a musical instrument called a horsehead fiddle using the horse’s skin and tail hair. He played sad songs to remember his horse.
Another story says a boy named Sükhe (or Suho) created the first morin khuur. A cruel lord killed the boy’s favorite white horse. In a dream, the horse’s spirit told Sükhe to build an instrument from the horse’s body so they could stay together forever. The first morin khuur was made with the horse’s bones as its neck, horsehair strings, horse skin covering a wooden box, and a horse head carved on the instrument’s scroll.
Many groups living near the Mongols, such as the Tuvans, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz, have similar instruments made of horsehair, like the Tuvan igil, Kazakh kobyz, or Kyrgyz Kyl kyyak. These are not found among western Turkic groups. This shows that the Mongols and their neighbors shared a common musical tradition across the different Khanates that ruled the area.
A similar instrument called the gusle or lahuta is found in Southeastern Europe, including Serbia, Croatia, and Albania. This instrument may have traveled along trade routes used by both Mongol and Balkan people. In Europe, these instruments are often shown with a goat head instead of a horse.
Playing technique
The modern style of the Morin Khuur is played with finger positions that closely resemble natural hand placement. This means the space between two fingers usually matches the distance of a half step on the lower part of the instrument. On the F/B♭ tuning, the index finger presses the G note on the low F string, the middle finger presses G♯, the ring finger presses A, and the little finger presses B♭. The same finger positions apply to the high strings: C, C♯, D, and D♯. The little finger touches the B♭ string from below the F string, while the other fingers press the strings from above.
Melodies are typically played from F to F′ on the F string. After reaching F′, the musician switches to the B♭ string and continues with G, A, and B♭. There are three hand positions on the F string and two on the B♭ string that a player must memorize. These positions help reduce unnecessary hand movement, which improves sound quality. On the B♭ string, the second hand position is used to play C, D, and E♭. To reach F′, the hand moves slightly, and the little finger can then press F′. The first finger can then press G without moving the hand.
The thumb can also press the B♭ string to play C, and the ring finger can press under the F string to reach D♯. On the F string, only the first harmonic is used, so the scale ranges from F to F′. On the B♭ string, multiple harmonics are available, including B♭′, F″, and B″. Many players also use an F″ overtone on the B♭ string to accompany the F′ note played on the F string.
Some bowing techniques are unique to the Morin Khuur. The little and ring fingers of the right hand usually touch the bow hair to create accents. The other two fingers apply gentle pressure to the strings. A common technique, called "Kist," involves moving the right hand slightly in the opposite direction of the bow when changing direction. This prevents scratchy sounds and improves tone. When pushing the bow, the hand closes slightly, forming a near-fist shape. When pulling the bow, the hand opens, creating a right angle between the arm and fingers.
The Morin Khuur can play both Western classical music and traditional Mongolian pieces. Learning begins with practicing scales and training the ear to develop "muscle memory," which allows fingers to adjust automatically when notes are not played correctly. The main goal is to produce a "clear" sound, meaning the volume and pitch remain consistent. This depends on three factors:
- The pressure applied by the fingers on the strings
- The pressure of the bow
- Maintaining a steady sound when changing bow direction
Variations such as "accent" and "vibrato" are often used. Techniques like "Col legno," "Pizzicato," or "Martellato" are generally not used on the Morin Khuur.
Because the Morin Khuur is usually tuned to B♭ and F, Western music is often adjusted to fit the four most common scales: F major, F minor, B♭ major, and E♭ major. When used as a solo instrument, the Morin Khuur is sometimes tuned a half step higher or lower.
Most traditional Mongolian pieces are in F minor. To match older musical traditions, the instrument is often tuned 1–2 notes lower. Before the socialist era in Mongolia, instruments were usually covered with skin, which made it difficult to tune to B♭ and F. These older instruments were typically tuned 2–4 notes lower.
On modern Morin Khuur instruments, the deeper string is on the right side and the higher string is on the left side when viewed from the front. The Igil, a similar instrument, has the opposite string placement. Players must adjust their technique to play pieces written for the other instrument. Modern teaching methods focus on the current style of playing.
Education
In Mongolia, the morin khuur can be studied at three schools:
- The SUIS (University of Arts and Culture). Students who are adults can earn a bachelor's degree after 2 years of study and a master's degree after 5 years of musical training. After completing a master's degree, students are recognized as professional musicians and may perform with state music groups or later become teachers at the SUIS.
- The Mongolian State Conservatory. This school accepts students who are 10 years old or younger for morin khuur lessons. Since September 2017, the conservatory has offered a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in Morin Khuur Performance degree.
- The SUIS Culture School. This school provides several courses to help students gain skills. Graduates from this school often become teachers or continue their education at the SUIS.
Many people who are not professional musicians have also learned to play the morin khuur well by taking lessons from private teachers or being taught by their parents or other family members.
Cultural influence
The morin khuur is Mongolia's national instrument. Festivals are held to celebrate its importance in Mongolian culture, such as the "International Morin Huur Festival and Competition," which happens every two years. The World Morinhuur Association organizes this event. The first festival was in 2008, the second in 2010, with eight countries participating (Mongolia, Korea, China, Russia, USA, Germany, France, Japan). The next event was planned for May 2012. At this festival, both amateur musicians and professionals perform. There is also a competition for making the instrument.
In June, the "Roaring Hooves" festival takes place. This event is for skilled professional players, but it is not open to the public. Recordings from the festival are sometimes shown on television later.
During the national festival "Naadam," songs called "Magtaal" are played to honor the most impressive horse, the top wrestler, and the best archer. These songs are accompanied by a special style of praise and the morin khuur.
Many Mongolians own the instrument because it represents peace and happiness in their culture.
During winter and early spring, a morin khuur player is invited for the "жавар үргээх" ceremony, which is meant to scare away frost. Traditional music is played during this event, and it is divided into different styles: "уртын дуу" (long song), "магтаал" (praise songs), and "татлага" (solo pieces, often imitating horses or camels).
The fourth style, "биелгее," is rarely played in these ceremonies but is common in western Mongolia. It is used to accompany "татлага" dancing, which has movements that mimic daily tasks of a nomadic family. The dance has three beats, similar to a waltz.
Some folk metal and folk rock bands from Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China, have combined heavy metal and rock music with traditional Mongolian themes and instruments, including the morin khuur. Examples of these bands include Altan Urag, Nine Treasures, Tengger Cavalry, Hanggai, the Hu, and Uuhai.
Animal psychological healing use by Gobi Desert farmers
In the daily lives of Mongolian Gobi herders, the Morin Khuur instrument has an important role. When a mother camel gives birth to a calf, she sometimes refuses to care for it because of stress. Herders use melodies from the Morin Khuur instrument and special songs with low sounds called "Khoosloh" to help the mother camel feel calm and encourage her to care for her calf again. This practice of helping animals care for their young is used by many nomadic groups worldwide, but Mongolian Gobi herders uniquely use the Morin Khuur with camels. If a mother camel dies after giving birth, herders may use the Khoosloh technique and Morin Khuur melodies to help another mother camel take in the calf. This practice is shown in a documentary called Ingen Egshig made by Badraa J. in 1986. It was also remade in 2003 by director Byambasuren Davaa under the title The Story of the Weeping Camel, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2005.