Tinh is approaching 60 but the man from Ban Village, Quang Chieu Commune in the central province's Muong Lat District has never ceased his devotion to the making of khaen and mastering its sounds. Born and raised in a Thai community in the further reaches of Thanh Hoa Province, Tinh began to play the khaen as a teenager. Around 20 years ago, he bought a good khaen from northern mountainous Son La Province then took it apart to study its "anatomy", gradually learning how to make this instrument himself. However, "manh pao" bamboo is not easy to find partly because of its confusing appearance. It looks like a plant called "nua" but has more slender and longer pipes. Furthermore, "manh pao" grows at high altitude along the Vietnam-Laos border or hides deep in forests, making this instrument all the more precious. An iron rod is used to pierce the pipe so it could be completely hollowed out. Tinh ties them in a bundle and leaves them in the corner of the house or in the kitchen to dry up. Warped and twisted pipes are placed over a flame and straightened with a mold. He carefully inserts the pipes into a holder called "po". There are two slits, each holds seven pipes that equate to seven tones per octave. While keeping the pipes steady in position, the "po" also includes a mouthpiece in which to blow. Tinh uses a small saw to cut the pipes one by one so their ends remain level. Tinh carves out a hole before inserting a rectangular shaped bronze leaf into a pipe. Tinh holds a bronze leaf he made with meticulous care. "The bronze leaf is vital to the making of a khaen. It vibrates via air pressure and opens and closes in response to air flow," the artisan elaborated. Besides making the instrument for personal use, he gives away or sells most of his khaens to those who share the same hobby. The most expensive one was sold for …
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