There are lots of types of Khen with different sizes and numbers of bamboo pipes. The mouth piece of the Khen is made of brass or bamboo and the sound box is made of flexible wood or the dried shell of a gourd. The number of bamboo pipes of a Khen is normally even and can be six, 12 or 14. However, Khen produced by Xa Pho, known as Ma Nhi, consists of five pipes. Each pipes has a hole on it to create a tone.

Being a multi-tone musical instrument, the Khen can be used as an orchestral part to support a singer, a dance, a concert, or used as a solo instrument. It is played on different occasions and in various places, according to custom of each ethnic community.

Tay Nguyen people normally play Khen when they want to have sad music to accompany the singing of "ayray" in funerals. Sometimes, the Khen is played as an accompaniment for dancers at festivals. Sometimes it is whistled to create romantic music for leisure.

In the north, the Khen is widely used, and H'Mong people tend to play it everyday. It is taken with the people everywhere they go including fields, markets and festivals.

Young men of the H'Mong people use the Khen as both an instrument and tool. While they are playing on it, they demonstrate their talent to the young ladies. Khen, according to them, can express everything: "Listening to Khen, we can know whether a person is crying or smiling".