Music of Makiling Ensemble

Instruments of Makiling Ensemble

• Chordophones
• Aerophones
• Membranophones
• Idiophones

Chordophones (stringed instruments)

1) Hegalong
    • It is a two-stringed fretted lute found among the indigenous peoples of
      the Philippines. It is usually long-necked and has a boat-shaped body.
      It varies in name depending on the ethnic group that uses it. It is
      sometimes called, kudyapi, haglung, fagalong, etc. The Makiling
      Ensemble utilizes a hegalong from the T'boli ethnic group located at
      Southern Philippines.

2) Violin
    •It is the bowed instrument that we know comes from Europe with four
     unfretted strings that can produce long sustained tones.

3) Violoncello
    • It is bowed and unfretted just like the violin but it is very much lower in
      pitch and serves as the bass instrument for The Makiling Ensemble.

Aerophones (blown instruments)

1) Transverse Flute
• It is the Western flute made of metal and is tempered to the chromatic
scale.

2) Didjeridu
    • It is long wooden or bamboo drone tube used by the Aborigines of
      Australia. It produces a deep, resonating drone which can be achievedby
      using the circular breathing technique.

Membranophones (skin drums)

1) African Skin Drum
    • It is a pair zebra-skinned drums that provides the tenor and bass tones
      in the percussion.

2) Bonggos
    • It is a Latin percussion instrument that consists of a pair of drums in
      different pitches.

3) Cabasa
    • It is another Latin percussion instrument that consists of metallic beads
      strapped around a metallic cylinder and produces a shaky sound.

4) Shaker
    • It is a hollow egg-shaped instrument with beads inside producing a high
      pitched shaky sound.

5) Australian Sticks
    • A pair of oval-shaped sticks used by the Aboriginees to provide concrete
      rhythmic parts for the didjeridu.

6) Rainstick
    • A hollow stick with seeds inside. Designed to mimic the sound of falling
      rain.