Gabbang

A gabbang is a bamboo xylophone from the southern Philippines. It sounds bright and woody because the keys are split bamboo, not metal.

Keys

Loose bamboo keys sit over a box frame. Longer keys make lower notes.

Players

Tausug, Sama Bajau, Yakan, and Palawan communities have their own versions, with different key counts and tunings.

Use

In Sulu, it accompanies singing and solo playing. One Sulu source calls it the most popular musical instrument there.

Transmission

Yakan master Uwang Ahadas taught gabbang and other Yakan instruments to younger players.

This app follows recorded Tausug gabbang samples, so it represents one sampled instrument, not a universal tuning chart.