Actually they're a class of banjo like instruments across East Asia, from Okinawa, Japan, Mongolia, and Vietnam. I don't actually want to specialize in playing it. Just to have it in my collection as an exotic banjo to fiddle around with every now and then.
I guess I got the idea in my head seeing a lot of people in BHO collect akontings and other banjo like African instruments. I just thought it was kinda neat. Felt like saying it to others in the banjo community.
I share the fascination.
Variants of drum-as-soundboard instruments are all around the world. The sarod of India came from the Middle East via Afghanistan. My favorite Tuvan throat singer played a fretless 3-string with a pick. The skin was stretched over a trapezoidal wood frame.
The really wildest sounds are the ones that are bowed.
I own Chinese a Er-hu bowed instrument with a small snake skin head and love to play it sometimes… difficult instrument but great suond.. here you can hear me playing it
The Tibetan dramyin has a totally unique sound to it...somewhat banjoesque with a little more twang.
youtube.com/watch?v=asoznn_juok Some Traditional Tibetan folk music also has a similar drive to it kinda like BG
Tuvan? Doshpuluur: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doshpuluur and to see and hear it played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZCCekUbPs8 -- see 2:24.
