Ludag- The Ifugao Drum

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Single and double headed drums (membranophones) are found throughout the Philippines. The are variously shaped- conical, cylindrical, goblet-shaped, barrel-shaped. Animal skins (snake, deer or goat) are used as drum heads. They maybe beaten with sticks or by the palm portion of bare hands. Drums are seldom used alone except to announce tidings over long distances. Usually they are played with other instruments particularly gongs, to form different kinds of ensemble.
 
The Ifugao libbit, ludag (the stamp above), is a conical drum with a deer or goat skin drum head. It is played with a gong during harvest time under the rice granary.
 
The sulibao and kimbal of the Bontok and Ibaloi are longitudinal slightly barrel-shaped hallowed outlogs with deer skin on one end. The taller drum(80 cm) is called the kimbal, the shorter(75 cm) is called the sulibao. The drumhead is small measuring about 6 cm in diameter. They are played with palms of two hands. 
 
The dabakan is a large goblet-shaped drum used by the Maranao and Maguidanao in their kulintang/kulintangan ensemble.

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