Although this instrument has many names, recently İstanbul Kemençe has been the most commonly used one. Tanburi Cemil Bey is among the first players to use kemençe in classical Turkish music. 

​

Pear shaped, bowed, with three non-uniform length strings. Fingernails are pressed from side rather than pressing the string from top with finger tips. Strings are elavated and usually made out of gut.

​

There is also a 4 string version which is not as common as 3 string one. İhsan Özgen, Derya Türkan, Furkan Bilgi, Sokratis Sinopoulos are among the masters of our time.

​