Skor thom

Skor thom
Skor thom at the "Sounds of Angkor" exhibition in Тheam's Gallery, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Classification Percussion (idiophone)
Related instruments
glong chatri

The Skor thom (Khmer: ស្គរធំ) are Cambodian 2-headed barrel drums played with a pair of wooden drumsticks.[1] They typically have skin heads made from oxen, cows or buffalos, and are played in pairs.[2] The drums are tuned such that one will give a "tighter and louder" sound when struck, while the other gives a "loose and more flatter tone."[2] The log is hollowed out to form a thin tube, about 1 centimeter thick, and the hide is stretched out on each side to create the drum.[2] Dimensions for the instruments vary, as they are carved from logs; however they can measure 50 centimetres long and be 46 centimetres in across at the center of the drum, with the ends being about 40 centimetres wide.[2]

Orchestra of Cambodian instruments with skor thom on the foreground.

The instruments are used in the pinpeat orchestra, placed at the front of the orchestra as a lead or dominant instrument.[1] They are also used with the sralay oboe in music for freestyle boxing music.[2] Sometimes, the drummer will play a skor thom and a Samphor at the same time.

Equivalent to Thai glong chatri.

  1. ^ a b Khean, Yun; Dorivan, Keo; Lina, Y; Lenna, Mao. Traditional Musical Instruments of Cambodia (PDF). Kingdom of Cambodia: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. p. 207.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Skor". Angelfire. Retrieved 27 October 2018.