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The Tinh plays a central role in Tay music. It’s the lead musical instrument and is used like a second vocalist to accompany the singer.
Materials for making a Tinh are simple and easy to find. The sound box is made from half of a dried gourd fruit, the neck is made from mulberry wood, and the strings from twined silk cord. The gourd should be old enough to have a thick shell and be able to produce sharp, clear sounds when tapped. It should be a round gourd with a diameter from 60 to 70 cm.
Dam Xuan Hoa, a Tinh maker in Cao Bang, says: “We choose an old gourd, pick out its seeds, and soak it in water for a week. Then we dry it in the sun. We soak the dried gourd again in lime water to protect it from insects. 6 groups of 9 holes are created around the gourd, 54 holes in total. The size of the holes depends on the size of the gourd.”
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The neck of the instrument is smooth without frets. It’s about 80cm to 1 meter long, depending on the length of the player’s arms. The head has a crescent-moon shape. The maker carves images to decorate the musical instrument according to his whim. The gourd, neck, and scroll are joined together, polished, and dried before stretching 3 strings on the instrument.
Mr. Hoa says that making a good Tinh requires experience and musical sense. The maker should understand Then singing and the basic principles of music. Hoa played a Tinh he had just completed while singing a Then song.
The Tinh is a signature item of the Tay culture and an important part of Then performances, festivals, and Tay ceremonies in Cao Bang.
