Generic term for bowed lutes in Cambodia. There are six types of tror in common Khmer practice. They are tror Khmai or tror Ksai bey (three-string spike fiddle), tror che, tror sao tauch, tror sao thom, tror ou, and tror ou chamhieng (two-string fiddles). At the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh there are two other types of tror, called tror kandal (medium-sized two-string fiddle) and tror thomm (large-sized two-string fiddle), but these are only academy-based experiments and do not have a wider use outside the university. The tror Khmai, the only Khmer three-string fiddle, resembles the Thai so sām sāi.
The precise origin of the tror Kmai is unknown. However, oral history reveals that the tror Kmai has existed alongside the Khmer people, used in the arak (spirit-worship) and kar (wedding) ensembles. The Khmer two-string fiddles are believed to be a modification of the Chinese two-string fiddle, which was used in the hi theatre ensemble brought to Cambodia around the turn of the 20th century. The tror has a range of approximately one octave when played in the usual finger position (first position). The range can be extended through use of other finger positions.
The resonator of the tror Kmai is made of a thin piece (less than half) of coconut shell covered with snake- or lizardskin. The three strings are made of silk or nylon. A detachable bow, with bow hair made of horsehair, sugar-palm fibres or nylon threads is used to play the instrument. The resonators of the tror che and tror sao tauch are made of bamboo or wood, covered with snake- or lizardskin. The bow hair (made of horsehair, pineapple fibres, or thin nylon threads) passes between the two metal strings. Tror so thomm has a resonator made of tortoiseshell, bamboo or wood, covered with snake- or lizardskin and also possesses two metal strings. The two types of tror ou are distinguished by the shape of their resonators; the tror ou is made of an almost-whole coconut shell, whereas the tror ou chamhieng is made of half a coconut shell (chamhieng = half). The strings of both types of tror ou are made of gut, silk, metal or nylon.
The varieties of two-string tror are used in the arak, kar, mohori (entertainment), ayai (vocal genre), yike (folk theatre) and basak (theatre of Chinese origin) ensembles, sometimes solo or to accompany a vocalist.
Université Royale des Beaux Arts, ed.: Musique khmère (Phnom Penh, 1969)
Sal Pich: Brief Survey of Khmer Music (Phnom Penh, 1970)
Sam-Ang Sam and P.S. Campbell: Silent Temples, Songful Hearts: Traditional Music of Cambodia (Danbury, CT, 1991)
K. Dorivan and others: Traditional Musical Instruments of Cambodia (Phnom Penh, 1994)
SAM-ANG SAM