What Traditional Percussion Instruments Are Used In The Philippines?

One is the gabang, the Muslim xylophone. It is trapezoidal in shape, with the keyboard made up of flattened pieces of bamboo of different lengths and sizes. The longest lies across the wider end, the keys tapering down in size to the smallest piece on the narrowest end of the instrument.

The talunggating is the Philippine marimba, similar to the gabang in construction. Both are played in the same way, except that the bulky talunggating has several resonators, while the smaller gabang has none. In parades the gabang is preferred because it is portable.

The hardest instrument to construct, but the easiest to play, is the tipangklung. Perhaps you would call it the bamboo piano or harp. Actually, it is a combination of both. The keyboard consists of 36 bamboo keys attached to an equal number of bamboo tubes.

The bungkaka is the clapper. In playing it, the split end of the bamboo tube is struck against the palm of the left hand, with the prongs producing the accent and rhythm. The talunggating and the tipangklung provide the melody.

The Pangkat Kawayan also uses the drum, the gong, the triangle and cymbals. But the bamboo instruments dominate the music.