This document discusses the music of lowland Luzon in the Philippines. It describes how Visayan music was highly influenced by Spanish colonizers who brought their Western musical traditions. It then focuses on rondalla, a string ensemble that originated in Spain, and describes the main instruments that make up a rondalla group - the banduria (14 strings), laud (12 strings), octavina (14 strings), guitar, and bajo de arco. It provides pictures and details on the number of strings for each instrument.

1. Music of lowland Luzon

2. %
The Visayan music is highly Spanish
influenced because they colonized the
Philippines for a long time. They brought
their culture and religion from western
practice. Spaniard musicians introduced
new styles of music, which has also
Western musical traditions.

4. Comes from the word ronda , meaning “to
make rounds”, a string ensemble which
originated in Spain. It is a group of string
instrument played with a pick or plectrum.
Juan Silos Jr. is the “Father of Rondalla”
here in the Philippines.
1. RONDALLA

5. Banduria is a 14
string instrument with
16 frets and shorter
neck. It is the soprano
instrument of the
rondalla and usually
plays the melodic line
of the composition.

6. Laud comes from a
Spanish word which means
“lute”. It has twelve strings
in pairs , similar to the
banduria but with a longer
neck.

7. Octavina has a shorter
neck compared to the
guitar , with 14 strings
and 16 frets. It serves
as the alto of the
rondalla.

8. Guitar is a popular musical
instrument classified as the
chordophone instrument
with usually having 6 strings.
It is typically played by
strumming or plucking the
strings . It plays the rhythm or
beat of the musical piece.

9. Bajo de Arco is the
largest among the
instruments in the most
stringed ensembles - evident
by its thick strings , large ,
body and low tones. The
number of strings varies from
the standard 4-stringed to the
rare 6-stringed. It plays the
bass part of the musical
piece.

10. Activity
Direction: Give the name of the instruments and
how many strings it has.

11. Name of the Instruments Picture No. of Strings
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.