Characteris

tics
of
Myanmar
Music

 Music of Myanmar has similarities with many other

musical traditions in the region, including Chinese
music and Thai music.
It is said that Myanmar music has musical timing
but no harmony.
Music is not a supporting accompaniment to
singing. Both are equally and harmoniously
combined.
It is accepted as an axiom by Myanmar musicians
that variation style in music playing the
manifestation of the full capacity of musical ability.

 It has been said that Myanmar music is lack of

precision.
The basic of Myanmar music is "Se (brass
instrument that makes sounds like a triangle) and
"Wa"(bamboo instrument that makes sounds like a
castanets).
3/4 timing or 6/8 of western music is not used in
Myanmar.

Timings:
4/4 timing is called Nayee Se
second and the third timing is 2/4 timing
- The second timing has some time gap and is
called Walet Se
- The third timing is 8/16 timing and has no time
gap and is called Walet Amyan
The fourth is called Sone Se. Se and Wa are
played at the same time.

Categories:
Traditional music from Burma is melodious,
generally without harmony, and usually in 4/4 time (nayi-se) or 2/4 (wa-let-se) or 8/16 (wa-let-a-myan).
There are "the segments combined into patterns,
combined into verses, combined into songs that make
Burmese music a multileveled hierarchical system.
is often played at religious festivals and is sung to the
beat of a long and thin drum, with occasional
interruptions by the beating of a larger drum.

 Hsaing waing ensemble, typically used in the nat pwe,

Burmese theater and art, and festivals .
The ensemble is made up of a series of drums and gongs,
including the centerpieces, which are the hne (double reed
pipe) and pat waing orhsaing wan , set of 21 tuned drums in a
circle).
Other instruments in this ensemble include the kyi waing , small
bronze gongs in a circular frame) and maung hsaing , larger
bronze gongs in a rectangular frame), as well as
the si and wa (bell and clapper) and the recent addition of
the chauk lone bat (a group of six drums which have gained
currency since the early 20th century).
Hsaing waing music, however, is atypical in Southeast Asian
music, characterized by sudden shifts in rhythm and melody as
well as change in texture and timbre.

Classical Music
the Burmese monarchy as well as the infusion of different regional
music styles, have created several classical traditions of Burmese
music. The oldest influences may perhaps come from China, which
shares a similar pentatonic music scale as classical Burmese music.
The complete body of Myanmar classical songs is usually referred to
as. the "Maha Gita." meaning great or royal song. These were the
songs of the royal Myanmar courts and form the basis of Myanmar
classical music.
The Maha Gita repertoire is pervasive in the performance of
Myanmar music. It forms the basis of shared tradition of the chamber
music ensemble,the Hsaing ensemble,as well as that of solo
instrument performances such as the piano.

Burmese classical music ensembles can be divided into :

outdoor ensembles - are either called sidaw or

sidawgyi. These outdoor ensembles were often used
to mark important ceremonial functions in the royal
courts of yesteryear.
It consists of a hnegyi, a large double reed pipe
and sidaw , a pair of ceremonial drums, as well as
the si and wa , a bell and clapper and the gandama, a
double-headed drum.. Other instruments used in
classical music include the saung (a harp)
and pattala (a xylophone).

 indoor ensembles - are essentially chamber

music groups consisting of a female singer and
various traditional instruments.
consisting
of
the saung , pattala , migyaung,
(a zither), palwe (a flute) and in the past, included
the tayaw , a fiddle and hnyin (a small mouth organ)