uMrhubhe is a stringed mouth-bow instrument that consists of a flexible (usually wooden) stick that is half a metre to three metres long. The stick is strung end to end with a taut metal or nylon cord that can be played with hands or a wooden stick. This bow, unlike the uHadi, requires the performers to use their mouth as a resonator. uMrhubhe has two fundamental notes that are produced by the string and harmonic partials which are produced by the mouth. The two notes are played as open (vuliwe , vu’ in isiXhosa); where performers do not shorten the string, and held (banjiwe, ‘ba’ in IsiXhosa), where performers press the string against the stick(Tracey, 2003).
References: Tracey, A., 2003. Indigenous Instruments. The Talking Drum, Issue no. 19, 8 – 10
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