KUBYZ

KUBYZ, a Bashkir self­sounding reed musical instrument. Made of metal or wood (rarely bone), about 8 cm long. Metal K. is a horseshoe with tapering ends. The middle holds a thin steel reed with a curved end; a wooden one holds a rectangular plate made of birch or maple with a reed cut in it. When playing a metal K., the instrument is clamped with the lips and supported with one hand, slightly closer to the open teeth; the mouth cavity serves as a resonator. The tongue is pinched with the fingers of the other hand, which causes vibration and a bass sound; and when the articulation changes, overtones are formed. When playing a wooden K., the sound is extracted by pulling the tongue with a thread attached to it. The sound is quiet; the range is within an octave. It is mainly used for playing tunes and onomatopoeic melodies. It is used as a solo and ensemble instrument. In the 1980s, honored worker of culture of the RSFSR and BASSR R.A. Zagretdinov improved the design of K. Since 2007, the international competition­festival of kubyz players and throat singers (uzlyau) “Ay auazy” has been held in the Mechetly district of Bashkortostan. In 2010, at the initiative of Zagretdinov, a Museum was created in the Bolsheustikinskoye village in Mechetly district.