Myanmar: instruments and ensembles

Instruments and ensembles
The cymbals "si" and clapper "wa"

The brass cymbals "si"(left), which sometimes get replaced by the bigger "yakwin", are held in the right hand of the vocalist.

In his/her left hand she/he holds the wooden "wa" which appear in the shape of castagnets or a bamboo node slit open (right).

Both provide the basic patterns of a tune:

All accents are performed by the "wa" while the "si" gets used on weak or unaccented notes. Each pattern is strictly linked to a melodical phrase or passage and often counts up to 9 or 16 bars. Like in the Gamelan ensembles with the last gong, the final stroke of the "wa" is getting delayed as much as possible.

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