PHYS341/2024/Project18

Filipino Instruments

Traditional Filipino music contains many unique instruments that have been used for centuries. Specifically, the kulintang and tongatong are two instruments that have been commonly utilized and preserved by ethnic groups originating from the Philippines.

Kulintang

Kulintang gongs on cords

The kulintang is an instrument that features eight brass or bronze gongs that are placed in a row on top of a wooden stand, called an antangan. The antangan is often painted with symbols, colours or art styles that are important and unique to the culture. The box acts as a cavity, allowing the vibration frequencies created by the gongs to resonate and transmit energy to the surrounding environment. The wooden stand is also supported by two thin cords or strings that are attached to the wood to allow the sound to be resonated instead of dampened against the antangan. The gongs are placed onto the thin cords, so that they are not directly touching the wooden stand.

Uniquely, the gongs have no strict tuning, meaning there is no standard or required pitch center for the instrument and the music played is often atonal. Typically, the musician selects eight gongs out of a large selection depending on the desired mode or tuning, which can be swapped out during or in between pieces. In addition, the size, shape and timbre of each kulintang set can vary, as there are no strict set guidelines for the design. This can mean that there will be significant variations between two performances played with different kulintang sets, even if they are playing the same piece.

Kulintang pitches that can be chosen

Kulintang being played

The overall kulintang’s box measures approximately 1 meter in length. Each individual gong is approximately 20 cm in diameter, 10 cm in height, and weighs about three pounds.

History

The kulintang's history has been lost, because the instrument has existed for thousands of years. However, the most prevalent and commonly accepted theory is that the kulintang originated from China in the third century, and spread and evolved to many other regions with the influence of the Islamic religion. In Filipino culture, kulintang music is traditionally utilized by multiple tribes, and is used predominantly for celebratory events, such as weddings and festivals. The kulintang is also commonly featured in the music of other Southeastern countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Timor.

Usage

To play the kulintang, the player kneels or sits criss-crossed in front of the kulintang and strikes the gongs. The instrument is played with two softwood sticks, and the timbre of the sound can vary depending on the weight of the stick. With the softwood sticks, the player can either strike the gongs one or two times at once, or lay the stick horizontally so they can strike even more simultaneously. Kulintang players are taught various rhythmic patterns and they improvise notes based on these patterns, rather than learning from strict, written pieces. There is no specified pitch center, but the root of the scale is usually the third gong of the set. Furthermore, the kulintang is most typically tuned to a pentatonic scale, with some minor modifications to best suit the desired tone or atmosphere of the performance.

Sonically, the kulintang has a rapid decay of sound. To take advantage of the instrument's sound and prevent silence or empty space, the pieces are typically set at a moderate or fast tempo, and there are few sustained notes. The kulintang is often mistaken for the gamelan; however, the gamelan contains more gongs laid out in two rows, and the music itself is more structured, with composed melodies that are played.

Spectrum graph of kulintang

Acoustics and Spectra

The following spectrum graph is analyzing a kulintang note that is being played at F4. The frequency is 341Hz, and it can be seen that there are two more peaks at 1607 Hz (G6) and 3552 Hz (A7).

Tongatong

Tongatong

The tongatong is a percussive instrument that is traditionally played by multiple people together. The instrument consists of a series of hollow bamboo tubes of varying lengths, which are struck on the ground at an angle and a specific percussive rhythm.

The tongatong’s length ranges from approximately 20-40 cm, depending on each tube.

History

The tongatong's origin can be traced centuries ago from the Kalinga people, an indigenous group situated in the Kalinga province in the Northern Philippines. Bamboo is an important aspect of the culture, and is utilized to create multiple instruments in addition to the tongatong. These include the bungkaka, a bamboo buzzer; the saggeypo, bamboo woodwinds that resemble a pan flute; and the patteteg, a bamboo xylophone. Together, these instruments have been used individually and in ensembles for centuries in the various Kalinga groups for a variety of purposes. The tongatong specifically was initially used primarily for rituals and to communicate with spirits, but its uses have diversified over time. The methods and skills of this tradition have been passed down throughout multiple generations, causing there to be distinct variations in usage and rhythmic patterns between families and regions.

Usage

To play the tongatong, each player first holds one bamboo tube. The players sit or kneel in a circle, with up to six people playing together. The players then strike the tongatong on the ground with one hand, and use their other hand to either cover or uncover the hole at the top with their palm. Each person plays the same repeating pattern at staggered time intervals, and the pattern interlocks with the other players to create a looping, rhythmic piece of music.

The pitch of each bamboo tube is set by its length, with longer bamboo tubes having a lower pitch, because the vibration wavelength of the instrument is longer. However, the sound quality can be altered, depending on whether the player covers or uncovers the hole of the tongatong. When the top of the instrument is covered by the hand, the sound is dampened, because the bamboo is unable to vibrate. When the instrument is uncovered, the sound is able to resonate, allowing there to be a more pitched sound to be played. This technique allows there to be variety in the rhythmic quality; the uncovered, resonant sound is often used as a downbeat or as a point of emphasis on what is being played.

The videos below show the tongatong being played by a group at the University of the Philippines Diliman with different rhythms that are commonly used.

Spectrum graph of tongatong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3axi_yRzTDg&ab_channel=bobpritchard56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uWa_zclqPQ&ab_channel=bobpritchard56

Acoustics and Spectra

The following spectrum graph is analyzing the sound of a tongatong being stamped on the ground at a note of B1 and frequency of 60Hz. The next distinct peak is at 1698 Hz with the note G#6.