Philippine Native Musical Instruments 37d44

PHILIPPINE

NATIVE

MUSICAL

INSTRUMENTS

A palendag is a type of Philippine bamboo flute of the Maguindanaon people. For the Maguindanaon, the palendag was used for intimate gatherings for families in the evening.

The kutiyapi, or kudyapi, is a Philippine two-stringed, fretted boat-lute. It is four to six feet long with nine frets made of hardened beeswax. The instrument is carved out of solid soft wood such as that from the jackfruit tree.

The octavina is a guitar-shaped Filipino instrument. Originally a Spanish instrument, the octavina was soon incorporated into other cultures, notably including Filipino culture.

The agung is a set of two widerimmed, vertically suspended gongs used by the Maguindanao, Maranao, Sama-Bajau and Tausug people of the Philippines as a ive instrument in kulintang ensembles.

The gandingan is a Philippine set of four large, hanging gongs used by the Maguindanao as part of their kulintang ensemble. When integrated into the ensemble, it functions as a secondary melodic instrument after the main melodic instrument, the kulintang. When played solo, the gandingan allows fellow Maguindanao to communicate with each other, allowing them to send messages or warnings via long distances.

The kulintang is the Maguindanao, Ternate and Timor term for the idiophone of metal gong kettles which are laid horizontally upon a rack to create an entire kulintang set. It is played by striking the bosses of the gongs with two wooden beaters. A gambang is a xylophone-like instrument used among peoples of the southern Philippines. The bars of the instrument are made of wood, generally teak. A pair of long thin mallets, made of flexible water buffalo horn tipped with felt, are used to play the instrument.

The kulintang a tiniok is a type of Philippine metallophone with eight tuned knobbed metal plates strung together via string atop a wooden antangan (rack). Kulintang a tiniok is a Maguindanaon term meaning “kulintang with string”. This is considered a relatively recent instrument and surprisingly many of them are only made of tin-can. It is used only for self-entertainment purpose in the home, to train beginners on new songs before using the kulintang.

The babandil is a single, narrow-rimmed Philippine gong used primarily as the “timekeeper” of the Maguindanao kulintang ensemble. Babendils are struck either at the flange or the rim, using either bamboo betays or a strip of rattan, producing a sharp, distinctive metallic clang and are sometimes considered “false gongs.”

The Agung a Tamlang is a type of Philippine slit drum made of hollowed out bamboo in imitation of the real agung. Pitch is determined by the length and depth of the slit. The agung a tamlang is used as practice for the real agung: players either use either one agung a tamlang (hold it with one hand and using the other to strike it with a beater) or using two agung a tamlangs where the other agung is held with one’s feet.

The dabakan is a single-headed Philippine drum, primarily used as a ive instrument in the kulintang ensemble. Among the five main kulintang instruments, it is the only non-gong element of the Maguindanao ensemble.

The kagul is a type of Philippine bamboo scraper gong/slit drum of the Maguindanaon and Visayans with a jagged edge on one side, played with two beaters, one scarping the jagged edge and the other one making a beat. The Maguindanaon and the Banuwaen use it in the rice paddies to guard against voracious birds, using the sound it produces to scare them away. The Maguindanaon and the Bukidnon also use it for simple dance rhythms during

social occasions.

A sulibao is a conical tenor drum played by the Bontoc and Ibaloi people of the Philippines. It is played with the palms of both hands. It usually appears as part of an ensemble along with the kimbal, pinsak, kalsa and palas. Sulibao is made from a hollowed out log covered with deer skin.

The kubing is a type of Philippine jaw harp from bamboo found among the Maguindanaon and other Muslim and non-Muslim tribes in the Philippines. The kubing is traditionally considered an intimate instrument, usually used as communication between family or a loved one in close quarters.