The dimensions of a Turkish kanun are typically 95 to 100 cm (37–39") in length, 38 to 40 cm (15–16") in width, and 4 to 6 cm (1.5–2.3") in height.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Aydoğdu |first1=Gültekin |last2=Aydoğdu |first2=Tahir |date= 2018-02-11|title='Kanun' hakkında |publisher=turksanatmuzigi.org: Salih Bora |url=http://www.turksanatmuzigi.org/bilgiler/calgilarimiz/kanun |accessdate=}}
</ref> In contrast, an Arabic qanun measures a bit larger as mentioned.<ref>{{cite web |title=About The Qanun |website=www.middleeasterndance.net |url=http://www.middleeasterndance.net/Music/Kanun/AboutKanun.html |access-date=2016-06-26}}</ref>
Qanun is played on the lap while sitting or squatting, or sometimes on trestle support, by plucking the strings with two [[tortoise]]-shell picks (one for each hand) or with fingernails, and has a standard range of three and a half [[octave]]s from A2 to E6 that can be extended down to F2 and up to G6 in the case of Arabic designs.
The instrument also features special metallic levers or latches under each course called ''mandals''. These small levers, which can be raised or lowered quickly by the performer while the instrument is being played, serve to slightly change the pitch of a particular course by altering effective string lengths.<ref name="Kassabian2013">{{cite book |last=Kassabian |first=Anahid |year=2013 |title=Ubiquitous Listening: Affect, Attention, and Distributed Subjectivity |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-27515-7 |pages=79– |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rOfvO7fLuNAC&pg=PA79}}</ref>