Musical Instruments: 4 Traditional Musical Instruments of Riau

Riau is a province in Sumatra. In addition to saving natural resources and beauty of natural scenery, the province has many tourist attractions also saves diverse cultures, not least of traditional musical instruments.

This time we'll take a walk and get to know some of the instruments that grow, develop and become one of the entertainment community in Riau that we have outlined in article 4 of traditional musical instruments of Riau.

1. GAMBUS
Gambus is one of the traditional musical instruments of Riau that looks similar to a guitar, but has a shape similar to a pumpkin divided by two. Lute is a kind of musical instrument stringed musical instrument having an amount of string between 3- 12 pieces.

Stringed instruments of Riau is played to accompany the songs wither or the middle east. A music group with a stringed musical instrument as the main instrument, often referred to as the orchestra gambus.Cara wear stringed musical instrument that is the same learned and how to use the guitar instrument.


Zapin dance orchestra accompaniment gambus entirely brought men to dance socially. The song is sung rhythmic Middle East. While the theme of the lyrics are religious.

2. REBANA
Rebana is a percussion instrument made of wood with one side covered using bark. Traditional musical instruments from Riau is generally flat round shape with a variety of sizes from large to small.

Rebana used to accompany singing and folk dancing. Rebana musical instrument is very well known since the days of ancient Malay kingdom which is often used during the wedding ceremony.

3. NAFIRI
Nafiri is a wind instrument that originated from Riau Province. Wind instrument similar to a trumpet has the following functions:

• Accompaniment of traditional dances, henna dance, dance and dance Jinugroho Olang.
• As a major instrument in the music robat which is music played in society.
• As a melody that is used to determine the movements of martial arts.
• For the coronation of kings when Riau still shaped kingdoms and nobility.
• Mark against the war, disaster, and death.
• Tools used as a spiritual marker to summon the gods, spirits, or ancestors.

besides used as a traditional instrument, the trumpet is also used as a communication tool Malay community, especially to inform about the existence of a disaster, and news about the death. At first the kingdom era, even the trumpet has a very important function that is used at the coronation of the king.

Made of wood measuring 25 to 45 centimeters. Between the stem and place the tiupnya given boundary made from coconut shell. Trumpets using some sort of tongue split in two is made from young coconut leaves or dried bamboo segments. The tongue is exactly what is called with a vibrator which will emit a sound or sounds. There are three finger holes which amount about the size of grains of corn to set the high and low tones. On the base was given connection ovoid shaped like a truncated and hollow to make larger volumes issued. Released music sounds like a thrashing than a clear melody to be heard.

3. GENDANG & MARWAS

Gendang and  Marwas  is a musical instrument of Riau that one of its main functions set the rhythm. This instrument sounded by hand, without tools.

There are various types of small drum called ketipung, the middle is called the eardrum ciblon / kebar. Couple ketipung no one else named drum gedhe commonly called drum kalih. Kalih played drums on the song or piece of fine character as Ketawang, piece kethuk kalih, and ladrang dadi rhythm. Can also be played quickly on the downbeat kind of launch, ladrang rhythm responsibility.

While Marwas itself is a traditional musical instrument that is smaller than a drum. Made of leather kembing, jackfruit wood or jackfruit wood and rattan as a binder. Marwas is one of the traditional musical instruments to accompany the dance Zapin.

4 Thus the traditional musical instruments of Riau. Although in Riau society also widely known traditional musical instruments such as gongs other, Kompang and kordeon, but the traditional musical instruments can be found in the article of traditional musical instruments from other provinces.