 The bonang
is made up of a set of small knobbed gongs which are placed horizontally on a rack in two
rows. They are a part of a family of rack gong sets, all of which are similar but
different in the number and sizes of gongs used as well as in the number of rows. The
names by which these sets are known depend on their construction and function in a given
music ensemble. Besides the bonang, the horizontal rack gong sets are called kenong,
canang, caklempong, engkeromong and kulintangan. The gambus is the most common lute found in a variety of
styles in Malay folk music as well as syncretic music such as ghazal. It is also used to
accompany song and dance in Sabah, Malaysia. Originating from the Middle East, the
Malaysian version uses 9 to 12 wire strings which are plucked. There are two types of
gambus in use, the Gambus Hadramaut and Gambus Hijaz.
 The rebab is the most important bowed lute in Malays folk
music. It is the main melodic instrument in the mak yong (a popular local tune)
and is used to accompany storytelling in Kelantan, Malaysia. It has 2 or 3 strings,
running over a movable bridge.The rebab is held upright on a short spike and played using
a wooden bow with nylon strings. The 2 stringed rebab is found only in the context of the
shadow puppet theatre.
 The seruling is made from bamboo. It comes in a few types of
designs and shapes and has different numbers of holes. This instrument is said to be an
indigeneous instrument of this region. It exists everywhere in Southeast Asia. In
caklempong that flourishes in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, this instrument comes in 3 shapes
with different names like 'salung', 'bangsi', 'puput' and 'seruling'. It is often blown
across the edge and held straight during playing, for entertainment, either in ensemble or
played alone. The 'persol' type of seruling, is blown and held horizontally. This
instrument is a nose flute.
 The Malay serunai is a reed wind instrument, with a
quadruple reed made from rice stalk. The body has 7 front finger holes and 1 at the back.
Circular breathing technique is used so that once a melody is started it does not stop
until the tune ends.
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music is LIFE!
music makes the world go round
music soothes even the savage beast
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