The khene (/ˈkɛn/; also spelled "khaen", "kaen" and "khen"; Lao: ແຄນ; Thai: แคน, rtgs: khaen, pronounced [kʰɛ̄ːn]; Vietnamese: khèn; Khmer: គែន) is a mouth organ of Lao origin whose pipes, which are usually made of bamboo, are connected with a small, hollowed-out hardwood reservoir into which air is blown, creating a sound similar to that of the violin. Today associated with the Lao people of Laos and Isan, other similar instruments date back to the Bronze Age.