MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND OTHER SOUND SOURCES FROM MINDANAO | MUSIC OF MINDANAO | CHEONG KIM

Topic: Musical Instruments and Other
Sound Sources from Mindanao
Music 7: 3rd Quarter
Week 1: Day 2
MELCS: Identifies the musical instruments and other sound sources of representative selections from Mindanao.

Looking Back:
Identify the songs of Islamic and non-Islamic
groups in Mindanao. Choose your answer from
the box below. Write your answers in a ¼ sheet
of paper.
1. Manobo harvest song
2. The curing ceremony of Subanon
3. Lullaby of Tausug
4. Chant during the Ramada
5. A Maranao epic poem

Brief Introduction
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FROM MINDANAO
1. Kulintang Ensemble
Gong-based ensemble used by the
Maguindanao and Maranao of western
Mindanao, the Tausug, the Yakan, and the
Sama-Badjao of the Sulu Archipelago. They
have varied functions but are mostly used for
celebrations and rituals.
Two Types of Kulintang Ensemble
a. Kulintangan (Manobo Cotabato) or
Kwintangan – ensembles of 6-8
hanging melody gongs in a row, hung
on ropes in pyramidal order, with the
smaller and higher pitched gongs near
the top
b. Tahunggo, Agung, Salmagi, Blowon
Semagi – suspended gong ensembles
(9-11 gongs, melody player and a drone
player) in various names according to
each tribe. The ensemble maybe
completed with 1 or 2 drums.
● Kulintang – a set of graduated gongs
widely used in Mindanao. Its tunes are
based on a pentatonic scale. It plays an
important soloist role in gong ensembles.
The number of gongs differs depending
on the ethnic group using it. The
ownership of these instruments also
indicates high social status and cultivated
taste.
● Agung – a large, deep-rimmed gong,
vertically suspended, hanged in wooden
frames or pole.
● Babandil – the time-keeping gong. It
usually is the first instrument played in the
ensemble and acts as the ensemble’s
“conductor.”
● Gandingan – a 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.
● Dabakan – a
goblet-shaped drum
which has a single head
covered with goat, lizard,
or snakeskin. It is struck
with two thin bamboo
sticks about 18 in length.
2. Bamboo Ensemble
According to Philippine legends, the first man
and woman are born out of bamboo. Bamboo
is also considered among early Filipinos as a
spiritual connection from our physical world
to the spiritual. Many bamboo instruments
were made for this purpose while some were
also used for entertainment and personal
expression. The different manners in playing
bamboo instruments include:
● blowing (aerophones)
● shaking or hitting (idiophones)
● plucking (chordophones)
● Gabbang – a native xylophone in Sulu. It
has a bamboo keyboard on top placed on
a wooden body. Keys are struck with two
wooden mallets.
● Seronggagandi – a guitar-like made of
bamboo, cut before one nod and after
next. Two cords are slit loose, given
tension by bridges. A hole is placed under
the cords which serves as the resounding
hole.
● Karaga – a guitar made up of bamboo
where the strings are slit from the bamboo
itself. The bamboo is split and tied back
from both ends leaving a slit as a
resonator.
● Bilbil / Bunkaka – a bamboo musical
instrument used by the Tinguians. It is
two-pronged bamboo struck against the
palm of one.
● Kagul – a type of bamboo scraper
gong/slit drum of the Maguindanaons with
jagged edge on the side played with two
beaters.
● Kubing is a bamboo jew harp of Tiruray.
3. Solo Instruments
● Kudyapi – a
two-stringed plucked
lute instrument made
of wood. It varies in
sizes, but normally 1
½ meters long.
Samaon Sulaiman (1953-2011) was a
Filipino musician who is a recipient of the
National Living award. The Maguindanaon
is known for his mastery of the indigenous
kudyapi instrument.
● Suling – mainly made of “tamiang”
bamboo, a long, thin-walled bamboo lute.
The mouthpiece of the suling is circled
with a thin band made of rattan near a
small hole.
● Sahunay is a bamboo flute, leaving six
holes for the fingers and a trumpet made
of coconut leaf. This bamboo flute is used
by the Muslims of Sulu.

You may listen to the instrumental music of
Mindanao here:
VIDEO CREDITS TO THE OWNER OF THE FOLLOWING:
Kulintang Ensemble
   • Kulintang | Binalig a Mamayug & Sinul...  
Kulintangan
   • Kulintangan music of Sabah (Borneo)  
Kulintang Sound
   • Kulintang Music?  
Agong
   • agong IMG 6748  
Gandingan
Dabakan
   • Singkil Dabakan Focus  
Bamboo Ensemble
   • Bamboo Ensemble (MUSIKA KAWAYAN)  
Gabbang
   • GABBANG MUSICAL INSTRUMENT "Danda Manis"  
Kudyapi
   • Kudyapi Master Samaon Sulaiman  
Bungkaka
   • Bungkaka  
Kagul
   • OLE :  Bamboo Slit Drum  
Kubing
   • Kubing  
Suling
   • Traditional Instrument - Suling  

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