I found this ensemble very interesting and chose it because of its representation of all of the traditional instruments we’ve been discussing in class. They also play a couple different songs which I like for the variation it adds. The first one was a traditional ensemble where they were all kind of harmoniously playing, and no particular instrument was standing out. For the second song, the woman in the left front playing on the interesting instrument made out of bamboo, plays many solo parts where all of the other instruments are in the background complimenting her. I’m not quite sure what her particular instrument is that she’s playing, but it has quite a complex technique if you pay attention to her hand movements. There are no frets, and the string is plucked in seemingly random areas to an onlooker who has no experience, while she controls the pitch with a bronze stick that she holds like guitar frets in her other hand. It emits a low, almost muffled droning sound. This instrument also caught my eye because it was playing notes that are in between notes on our scale. I can tell because they almost seem off to our ears, or have a uncalmly sound. Although that lady in the bottom left was mainly playing the solo for the second song, I like how they end the video with all of the instruments playing in harmony again very loudly and with a lot of energy. This video gives lots of insight into the individual instruments of southeast Asia, while also showing how they can play harmoniously in an ensemble.
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