A vertically-held bambooflute is made from the very bottom of a bamboo tree. Bamboo is hollowexcept for the nodes which are spaced at intervals along the pipe.These nodes are knocked out to form the complete hollow length of thepipe. The bamboo flute is a simple instrument consisting of a stem of fine bamboo with a diameter of 1.5 to 2cm and a length of 40 to 55cm. On the stem, there is one mouth piece and 10 finger holes. Atone end, there is an oval blowing hole and a soft wooden rush pith usedto adjust pitch. 12cm from the blowing hole, there are six finger holesat 1cm intervals from each other, as well as a non-covering holelocated at the other end of the instrument.

Althoughthe placement of holes and tuning of the instrument is a very delicateprocess, the instrument itself is of a basically simple construction.It is the very fact, however, which allows for very complex techniquesin playing the ins

Sao Truc

During the 1970s, well-known artists Dinh Tinh and Ngo Nam developed a new version of the Sao Trucas they changed the 6-finger-hole flute into 10-finger-hole flute,allowing performers to extend their register. Thanks to this, flutistsfind more easily when performing musical pieces such as Tieng goi muaxuan (The call of spring) by Dinh Thin, Tinh que (Love for the Country)by Hoang Dam, and a number of others. The Sao Trucis a simple instrument consisting of a length of fine bamboo piercedwith finger holes, and has long been connected to Vietnamese culturaland spiritual life. Particularly popular in the countryside, it wastraditionally played by resting farmers taking a break from working inthe fields.

Itcan be said that Sao Truc contains the musical essence of theVietnamese together with the four tranquil seasons. Particularlypopular in the countryside, it was traditionally played by Vietnamesefarmers whenever they take a break from working in the fields, or evenat nights before going to bed...