Myanmar Musical Instruments

There basically are 5 types of Myanmar traditional musical instruments:

1. air-based
oboe
flute
2. leather-based
Drums: Great Drum, Short Drum, Circular Series of Drums
Pot Drum (Ooh Si)
3. metal-based
Brass Xylophone (Kyay Patalar)
Gongs
4. string-based
Myanmar Harp (Saung or Saung Gouk)
Harp (Don Min)
5. clappers and others
Bamboo clappers
Bamboo Xylophone (Warr Patalar)

Myanmar Harp

A "harp" is called Saung in Myanmar. There basically was 2 types: Byat Saung and Saung Gauk (bent harp). There
almost is nobody who can play byat saungs these days. Today saung generally refers to the bent harp illustrated
above.
In 10th century AD, musicians used only 5 strings in Myanmar harp, which later increased to 7 strings in 18th century.
During King Bodaw Pharar the art of playing harp was much promoted by the king and was improved to using up to
13 strings.

Other Musical Instruments

Crescent Saing : a series of brass /copper gongs, framed in crescent shape.

Myanmar Xylophone (Pattalar): The bars are usually made of bamboo or

copper.

Shan Osi (Shan Long Drum)

Stone Drum: This actually is not a musical instrument. We just present it to

you for its peculiarity. Isn't it so strange to find a drum made of stone ?
You can ring it. It is somewhat a flat piece of rock, usually hanged around
pagodas or monasteries. The purpose of using these is just like using bells, so
that people can ring it by hitting with a stick.