the free end of the tongue remains confined within the frame and the tongue itself is moved in various ways but not plucked. Such instruments are found in Melanesia, Indonesia, South-east Asia and China, as well as Tibet, Nepal and India, which marks the western boundary of their area of distribution.
In the other type, made of metal, the free end of the tongue overlaps the frame and is plucked. This kind, still used sporadically in Europe, is Asian in origin and is mainly played by mountain populations in Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Afghanistan. In India, the instrument is called morsing in the South and morchang in the North.
The morchang of Rajasthan are manufactured by the blacksmiths and played by men who belong to the snake-charmer communities as well as by a few professional folk musicians. The instrument has no specific repertoire. More often than not the music consists of improvisations on well-known tunes to show off a performer's virtuosity, such as those played here by Kammu Khan, a Langa musician from a hamlet in the desert.