Krachappi

It can be played by holding the wand, which is composed of thin wooden planks, in your right hand and flicking the wires in and out while pressing the string with your left finger.

[citation needed] Thai music instruments are divided into 4 groups, namely, strum, string, percussion, and brass.

Although the krachappi is no longer as prominent in high society, the phin and sueng continue to play a significant role in daily life.

[citation needed] The Royal Institute Dictionary of 1982 defined the krachappi as a four-stringed phin and its name originated from Kacchapa, which means turtle in Sanskrit.

Moreover, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab also mentioned in the chronicle about the krachappi that it was called khsajapi or cachejapei in Cambodia.

[citation needed] There is plenty of evidence that indicates the popularity of the krachappi through Thai culture and history from Ayutthaya to the beginning of Rattanakosin.

[citation needed] The book has great details of instruments that were added and eliminated to Mahori, so it contains plenty of information about the krachappi.

The book mentioned that the Mahori in the Ayutthaya era originally had four instruments including Saw, Krachappi, Thone, and Krap.

[citation needed] The concrete written evidence that indicates that the krachappi existed in the Ayutthaya era is from the first Thai textbook named Jindamanee.

[citation needed] On page 45 of Jindamanee book there is a poem about five instruments in the Mahori and Krachappi is included.

The royal rule of Borommatrailokkanat, the king of Ayutthaya, did not allow the krachappi as well as other Thai instruments to be played in the palace.

The third one is a carved wooden door of the Mahori which includes four instruments, namely, Saw, Krachappi, Thone, and Krap.

[citation needed] The body of the krachappi was made of hardwood, for instance, teak, jackfruit, Sandalwood, and Siamese rosewood.

The right-hand holds a pick to flick back and forth to create a sound by switching up and down according to the rhythm and melody of the song.

The technique of playing chords is to use the left hand to loosely support the ratchet's bow to allow the gap of the finger groove between the thumb and forefinger.