T his is a r e -e d ite d a n d u p d a t e d version o f th e p a p e r p r e s e n te d a t th e 7th S y m p o siu m on E th n o m u sico lo g y (V e n d a U niversity) in 1988, p u b lis h e d b y IL A M in "P a p e r s p r e s e n t e d a t th e 7th a n d 8th S y m p o siu m s in E th n o m u s ic o lo g y " (1989). I t is r e p r o d u c e d h e r e b e c a u s e o f th e w o r ld w id e in ter es t w h ich h a s d e v e lo p e din m b ir a a n d its sy stem in r e c e n t d ec a d es .