BALINGBING

Classification: Idiophone, bamboo buzzer

Description
Bamboo tube, one side closed. Two tongues and a crack up to the node; hole. The instrument is
played by beating one of the tongues against the arm or wrist; sound can be changed by closing
and opening the hole. Usually played by at least seven individuals, each with one buzzer. Player
play their own rythmic pattern, all patterns fit together ('interlocking'). Players can form long rows
while dancing in an open space (such as a central meadow).

Dimensions: vary from 30 to 50 cm. depending on desired tonal height.

Ethnic group: Kalingga

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

Classification: Idiophone, jaw harp

Description
Made of brass; the instrument is held horizontally with the metal tongue in front of the opened
mouth. The left end is either hit by the thumb of the right hand or plucked (see photograph
below). This makes the metal tongue vibrate which causes a sound. The mouth serves as a
resonator and by changing the shape and size of the mouth opening; the overtones can be
changed, thus creating a melody. By strongly breathing in or out the volume can be changed as
well. The string is made of wool.

Dimensions: length: 11,5 cm., width: 1,3 cm.

Ethnic group: Bontoc

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

Classification: Idiophone, percussion bar

Description
Set of at least seven wooden bars made of hard wood. Each bar has its own pitch and is hit by
the player with a short stick of hard wood. Players have one stick each and play their own
rythmic pattern, which fall together ('interlocking').

Dimensions: length: 47,5 cm., height: 5 cm., diameter: 2,6 cm.

Ethnic group: Ifugao

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

Classification: Aerophone, vertical flute

Description
Short bamboo tube, cut off on the node and closed with a piece of wood, lower part of the hole
half covered, with a burnt in hole.

Dimensions: length: 14,7 cm., dimater: 1,6 cm.

Ethnic group: Bontoc

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

The end of the tubes with the blowing hole burnt in the node.

Classification: Aerophone, vertical flute, nose flute

Description
Long bamboo tubes, closed at one end by the node in which the blowing hole is burnt. The flute
has three finger holes. The blowing hole is placed under an angle against the nose and the
player gently blows into the tube. The kalleleng is held against the nostril;
the other nostril is plugged.

Dimensions (from top to bottom):

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

KOLITONG

The strings are cut loose from the skin and The star shaped opening in the nod.
lifted by wooden bridges.

Classification: Chordophone, idiochord tube zither

Description
Bamboo tube, closed at both end by a node. In both nodes a star shaped opening is cut. Five
strings are cut loose from the skin, and lifted and tuned with small pieces of wood. The tube is
cracked and slightly opened to improve resonance.

Dimensions: length: 80 cm. diameter: 11,5 cm.

Ethnic group: Kalingga

Location: North Luzon, Cordillera

Front view

The mouthpiece, the one on the left is the Paldong

Classification: Aerophone, lip valley flute (notch flute)

Description
Open bamboo pipe, top end cut at an angle (see pictures). Three by one fingerholes.

Dimensions: length: 69,2 cm, diameter 1,6 cm.

Ethnic group: Kalingga

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

Side view

Top view

Classification: Idiophone, bamboo clapper

Description
Bamboo tube, one end open; cut open in the middle; upper part cut into two halves. The
instrument is played by shaking: one half swings up and down and in the down swing hits the
lower half.

Ethnic group: Ifugao

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

The end of the tubes with the blowing hole burnt in the node.

Classification: Aerophone, vertital flute. nose flute

Description
Long bamboo tubes, closed at one end by the node in which the blowing hole is burnt. The flute
has three finger holes. The blowing hole is placed under an angle against the nose and the
player gently blows into the tube. The tongali is held against the nostril; the other nostril is
plugged.

Dimensions: length: 57,5 cm., diameter 2 cm.

Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)

A gangsa is a type of metallophone which is used mainly in Balinese and Javanese Gamelan
music. It consists of several tuned metal bars each placed over an individual resonator. The
bars are hit with a mallet, each producing a different pitch. Duration of sound intensity and
sound quality factors are generally accomplished by damping the vibration of the bar with the
fingers of the free hand. The gangsa is very similar to the gendér and the saron.

A gangsa is also the name of a completely different instrument, one which is indigenous to the
cultures found in the mountain regions (the Cordillera) of the northern Philippines. The gangsa
of the northern Philippines is a single hand-held smooth-surfaced gong with a narrow rim. A set
of gangsa, which is played one gong per musician, consists of gangsa tuned to different notes,
depending on regional or local cultural preferences. The number of gangsa in a set varies with
availability, and depends on the tradition of a particular ethnic group of the Luzon Cordillera:
Kalinga, Ifugao, Bontoc, etc.
Among the Kalinga people in the Cordillera region of Luzon Island, the gangsa is played in two
ways. One way is called "toppaya" and the other is called "pattung." In "toppaya" style, the
musicians play the surface of the gangsa with their hand while in a sitting position, with a single
gangsa resting on the lap of each musician. In the "pattung" style, a gangsa is suspended from
the musician's left hand and played with a padded stick held in the musician's right hand. In the
"pattung" style of playing, the players are standing, or they keep in step with the dancers while
bending forward slightly.
SUBING

The subing is a bamboo jaw harp of the Cuyinin people of Palawan Island in western
Philippines. Despite their length of approximately 20-25 cm. The actual functioning part of the
subbing is quite small with a resultantly high pitch. Subing are often tuned by a small piece of
pitch or insect wax on the tongue. Usually subing are decorated and come with a bamboo case.
 GIWONG

The giwong is the jaw harp of the Kalinga people of northern Luzon in the Philippines. It is a
very flat jaw harp but with very good tone and very easy to play. These jaw harps are often
readily available in tourist shops in many countries and as such not taken very seriously. They
were traditionally used for courting but now made more for the tourist trade, often made by non-
Kalinga as well.

Type: jaw harps