Local Indigenous Ensembles

RONDALLA ENSEMBLE

• A Rondalla is an ensemble of stringed instruments that are

played with a plectrum or pick. They originated in Spain but became most popular in Philippine folk music after their introduction to the islands during the 19th century. Philippine instruments are made of native wood and played with a tortoise-shell plectrum.

• The word "rondalla" is from the Spanish ronda, meaning "serenade." The core instruments of Spanish ensembles are the guitar, the mandolin, and the lute. Rondallas usually are accompanied by at least one singer and sometimes by percussionists playing handheld instruments. Though ensembles of stringed instruments have existed in some form in Spain since at least the 16th century, this form dates from the early 19th century, and it soon

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-serenade.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-mandolin.htm

RONDALLA INSTRUMENTS

Banduria - is the lead instrument of

the rondalla. It plays the

melody and ornamental passages.

The banduria is a pear– shaped

instrument made of wood that has a

round sound hole and with fourteen

strings grouped into six tuning

units. It produces a light and thin

sound.

Laud - is looks like a

banduria but bigger and

has a longer neck. It

plays lower notes than

the banduria and it

produces a sound that

is not so thick.

Octavina - is like a

small guitar with a

shorter neck and has a

round sound hole. It

plays the tenor part

and produces a thick

sound.

Guitar - is a twelve-

stringed instrument

bigger than the octavina.

It gives a steady rhythm

and usually plays the

accompaniment, as the

melodic passages. It

produces a thicker sound

than the octavina.

Double Bass ( Bajo de

Unas) - is the biggest among

the rondalla instruments and

has the lowest tones. It is

shaped like violin with two– f

sound holes, four thick strings,

and is played by a bow or by

plucking the string . The

sound it produces is dark and

heavy.

DRUM AND LYRE CORPS

In the Philippines, a drum and lyre corps is a marching ensemble

consisting of strictly percussion instruments and a color guard section.

The drum and lyre corps originated in the Philippines, as an economical

alternative to regular brass bands or a drum and bugle corps. The

instrumentation of a drum and lyre corps consists of a typical marching

band (snare, tenor, and bass drums, and cymbals) with the bell lyre

section. The lyre sections consist of bell lyres, glockenspiels, as well

as vibraphones and marimbas. During competitions, drum and lyre

corps usually include a pit section which consists of the typical pit

instruments used by drum and bugle corps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_bandhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_percussionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_guard_(flag_spinning)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_and_bugle_corps_(modern)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_bandhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_bandhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snare_drumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenor_drumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_drumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymbalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_lyrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glockenspielhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibraphonehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimbahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_ensemble

DRUM AND LYRE INSTRUMENTS

Non– tuned Instruments ( Marching Band )Section)

Snare Drum – is a medium

sized, non-pitched

instrument. It is struck by

wooden sticks either on

the drumhead, rim, or shell

to create rhythm or variety

of sound.

Tenor Drum - is a

mouthed set of four to

six drums.It is struck by

mallets or sticks . The

sound it produces vary

according to the size.

The purpose of tenor

drums is to add more

color to the music.

Bass Drum - is a large,

non– pitched instrument

that produces a low

sound when struck by a

single, heavy felt

covered mallet. It is

used to mark time and

to order the band to

start or stop marching.

Cymbals - are made of

thin, round metal plates.

They are struck with a

stick, by sliding one

cymbal to the other , or by

clashing each other.

Cymbals provide a

colorful effect to the

overall sound of the band

or orchestra.

Tuned Instruments ( Lyre Section)

Bell Lyre - is the main

instrument in the drum and

lyre corps. The bell lyre is a

pitched instrument

consisting of metal bars

tuned in chromatic scale. It

is played with two light

hammers.

Glockenspiel– is also

called orchestra bells. It is

a series of

Graduated stell bars

arranged in two rows. It is

played with wooden

plastic mallets and has a

higher pitch than a

xylophone.

Vibraphone – looks like

glockenspiel and a

xylophone . It produce a

bell - liked sound when

struck using a mallet. It

has a foot tubes pedal

that opens and closes the

resonating tubes beneath

the alloy bars

Marimba– is a large

percussion instrument

similar to a xylophone

but is pitched an

octave lower. It is

made of rosewood

keyboard with brass

pipe resonators and is

struck by mallets.

PANGKAT KAWAYAN INSTRUMENTS Bumbong - are pieces of

bamboo tubes blown

through a mouthpiece to

produce a sound. The pitch

depends upon the length.

The longer the bamboo,

the lower the tone; the

shorter the bamboo, the

higher the tone.

Talunggating–

is the Philippine

marimba. It has

several

resonators.

Tipangklung– is a

bamboo piano or harp.

Its keyboard consists of

36 bamboo keys

attached to an equal

number of bamboo

tubes. It is played by

shaking

To produce a certain

note.

Tulali– is a flute

with a single hole

for the mouth

and six other

holes for the

fingers to place

on.

Kalatok– is a

percussion

instrument that

provide the basic

rhythm. The sound

is produced by

beating using a

stick.

Angklung – are

bamboo musical

rattles made of two

tube attached to a

bamboo frame. The

sound is produced by

gently shaking it

sideways.