Tumbi

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The Tumbi is a traditional North Indian instrument from the Punjab region. The high pitched, single string plucking instrument is associated with folk music of Punjab and presently very popular in Western Bhangra Music.

The instrument is made of a wooden stick mounted with a Toomba or wooden resonator covered with skin. A metallic string is passed on a resonator over a bridge and tied to the key at the end of the stick. The string is struck with the continuous flick and retraction of the forefinger.

The tumbi was popularized by the Punjabi folk-singer Lal Chand Yamla Jatt. In the 1960's, 70's and 80's most of the singers used the 'Tumbi'. The most popular were Kuldip Manak, Amar Singh Chamkila and Mohammed Sadiq, and Ozzy (Fun School)

"Get your freak on" by Timbaland and Missy Elliott saw the introduction of the distinct tumbi sound into the popular mainstream music scene.

"Mundeya to bach ke rahi" (Beware of Boys) from Panjabi MC, a huge hit in the UK charts, is perhaps the most widely-known example of the use of tumbi in popular western music.

The tumbi was also featured in the hit song "20 Inch" by Master P feat: Jamaican reggae artist Cutty Ranks and rap artist Kobra Khan. The tumbi played by Toronto, Ontario, Canadian native Shawn Ramta (grandson of the famous Punjabi folk singer, Hazara Singh Ramta).