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What are the leather instruments?

The leather instruments refer to the instruments that are made of leather, primarily drums. These instruments are crucial to the rhythmic and melodic foundations of Burmese and Mon traditional music.

Mon Traditional Gong Ensemble

The Mon Traditional Gong Ensemble is a musical instrument consisting of twelve brass gongs arranged in a circle within a wooden crescent-shaped frame. The gongs are hung in a line from low pitch (left) to high pitch (right), and the frame is constructed from Yamanay wood.

Two mallets are used to strike the gongs to produce melodies. They are very versatile because they can produce both major and minor scales. The entire instrument measures approximately 39 inches in height and 56 inches in length.

source: Nai Ork Pung Wongraman
source: Nai Ork Pung Wongraman

Pone Pon

In Mon traditional music, this gong circle is used for performances, ceremonies, and festivities. It displays the Mon people’s rich culture and artistic talent and is exquisitely decorated.

An essential part of Mon and Burmese musical culture is the Hta Bone Pone Pon, a traditional drum set. Four small drums, one medium-sized drum, and one large drum make up its six drum set. Because each drum is different in size, a variety of sounds can be produced, ranging from deep, resonant tones on the larger drums to sharp, high-pitched beats on the smaller ones.
Leather drumheads are securely stretched over the openings of the wood-made drums.

The rich, rhythmic sounds that define Mon and Burmese music are produced by the vibrating leather skins, which are vital. Usually made from animal hide, the leather is meticulously prepared to guarantee the proper tone and tension.

References

Myanmar Gamelan. (2013, September 10). Instruments. Myanmar – WordPress.com. Retrieved July 3, 2025, from https://myanmargamelan.wordpress.com/instruments/

UNESCO ICHCAP. (2014, February 7). Mon traditional crescent gong [PDF]. International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP). https://archive.unesco-ichcap.org/eng/ek/pdf/mon.pdf

Wongraman., O. P. (2022). Research on Classical Mon Music, Songs and Dance

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