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3) Sia Tek Ensemble

6.6 Musical Instruments

e. Chanting Practices

For ceremonies in temples and shrines, a small prayer group stands in front of the altar. The leader of this group is called geng ju. The position of ju (เก็งจู).

during the chanting is usually in the middle of the group and he always plays the mu yu while chanting to make the signals of the ceremony and to control the tempo of chanting and reciting. He is also responsible for the whole course of the ceremony and the participation of the audience in praying and chanting.

In the music ensemble there are two main instruments, the yang chin (Chinese dulcimer) and the tua chuai (Chinese oboe) playing a melody. Normally, the function of the yang chin is to follow the line of the melody, while the other instruments play melodic ornamentations. Sometimes the tua chuai can take over the function of the yang chin depending on the organization of the group.

Picture and the Name of Instruments Explanation

Im kheng

Im kheng is a small hand bell, struck with a metal stick, which is tied to the bell with a string. This instrument is played by one of the members of the secular prayer group.

Mu yu or Pak hue

Mu yu is important for the chanting ceremony because it is used to beat a rhythm when chanting the scriptures word by word. The translation of mu yu is

“wooden fish”, because it is sculpted like a fish’s head, made of a wooden block, which is hollowed out. It is knocked with a wooden stick. It exists in different sizes.

The instrument is shaped like a fish because the fish cannot close his eyes. So people thought, he is always awake. This means that the instrument in form of a fish shall remind human beings always to live consciously.

Leng

Leng is a bell that is also used by the geng ju (the leader of the prayer group).

Leng is used when chanting in front of the altar and when geng ju walks around the ceremony’s area. Geng ju will ring the bell during the recitation of the texts.

Picture and the Name of Instruments Explanation

Tang gow

Tang gow is a big drum, painted in red color with decorative patterns. Usually the shape is similar to a barrel and is covered above and below with a cow skin. The upper skin is played with a pair of wooden sticks. Normally the sound is deep and surrounding which gets lots of attention in the ceremonies. Tang gow is traditionally played along with other percussion instruments such as the gong, cymbal or little drum. It is not only used with the chanting ceremonies but also in joyful and exciting occasions. Diameter:

over 1 m. (large drum); 20-30 cm. (small drum).

Tiak gow/ tong gow

This is a set of drums called tiak gow. It is always used with other percussion instruments as part of the chanting performance.

Bua

Bua is a cymbal and is played with the other percussion instruments. It exists in many sizes for different occasions. It provides rhythm in the percussion ensemble and can make a range of dynamic sounds from a single pair of cymbals by rubbing, sliding (which makes the sound sizzle), or striking them (making the crash sound).

Picture and the Name of Instruments Explanation

Luo

Luo-Kia (Chang kuang lo)

Kong kia

These are the Chinese gongs that are used with the drum as a part of the percussion ensembles. There is a great variety in sizes of the gongs, from about 8 cm. to over 100 cm. in diameter. Gongs are used in a part of the chanting ceremony and in the parade (it is called the luo gow procession, where a set of gongs can be played with other instruments such as the suona, bamboo flute or drum).

Pha hi, yi hi, thi hu, nam hu with two strings

These bowed instruments are two-string fiddle played with the bow clasped

between them. The sound varies from one to another based on the shape and the size of the instrument and the kind of the used strings. The sound is always mellow and bright and they can be played with a variety of techniques.

Name of fiddle

Tuning Pha hi C (1) and G (5)

Yi hi G (5) and C (1) Thi hu G (5) and D (2) (high) Nam hu G (5) and D (2) (low)

Picture and the Name of Instruments Explanation

Yang chin

Yang chin is a dulcimer with a trapezoid board. The strings are struck with two bamboo sticks.

The instrument can be tuned in semitones and there are small sliders to make modulations possible and to facilitate quick and accurate tuning. Also moveable bridges are available to divide the strings into different vibrating lengths.

Zheng

Zheng is a Chinese zither with movable bridges. In Southern Thailand this instrument is not very popular because only few musicians can play it in the right way.

Pipa

Pipa is a lute with a large fingerboard with many frets. The four strings of the pipa are tuned respectively to A, D, E, and A. In Southern Thailand there are only few musicians who can play this instrument. Thanasap Misap, the musician shown in this picture, said:

“Mr. Niran always invited me to play this instrument because only few musicians in Southern Thailand can play it”. (Personal interview. 30 October 2006)

Picture and the Name of Instruments Explanation

Tua chuai, suona or chuai kia

Suona is a woodwind instrument with double reeds. The sound of this

instrument is very bright and sonorous. It is played with other melody instruments and with the percussion ensemble, like in the processions.

Fig. 42. The instruments and their physical explanation51

b. Instrumental Groups and their functions

There are three groups of instruments, each with different functions:

1. Buddhist instrumental group (Rhythmic group) 2. Melody instrumental group (Melodic group) 3. Percussion instrumental group (Percussion group)

1) Buddhist Instrumental Group

Fig. 43.

The group of prayer (geng sue,

เกงซือ

) with Buddhist instruments, Photograph by R.Ungpho on 10/06

51 All photos in figure 42 are photographed by R.Ungpho, 2006

Buddhist instruments are not used to perform the melody. The instruments are mainly used as percussion instruments to accompany Buddhist chanting and reciting. The most prominent of them is the mu yu, which the leader of the prayer group (geng ju) plays.

In Southern Thailand these instruments are used by prayer groups, laymen and monks. The ensemble usually consists of four Buddhist instruments and a drum with the following functions.

Instruments Activities Kheng It is used to give a signal for people when they

have to prostrate themselves in front of the altar at the beginning of the ceremony. Signals are played also at the beginning of the text, the ending of the text, at the end of the ceremony or in other

additional times.

Im kheng It is used to make the beat in chanting and reciting.

Mu yu Knocking every word or every two words, it controls the rhythm in chanting.

Leng (Hand bell)

It is used to ring at the beginning, during and at the ending of the ceremony. (For believers, the sound from the leng can drive the bad spirits out from the ceremony.)

Tang gow (Big drum)

The beginning and ending of its beating are the signals for the people that the ceremony will start and end.

Fig. 44. The function of the instruments for prayer