The typical Filipino rondalla ensemble consists of pear-shaped string instruments like the piccolo bandurria, bandurria, laud, octavina, guitarra, and double bass. These instruments are made from native Philippine woods and the guitar's bridge is made from turtle shell. Rondallas perform a wide variety of musical styles from folk to classical using these traditional string instruments.

1. RONDALLA FAMILY

2. RONDALLANG FILIPINO Ang tipikal na Filipinong rondalla ay binubuo ng mga sumusunod: hugis peras na piccolo bandurria, bandurria, laud, hugis gitarang octavina at mandola, guitarra, at bajo de unas. Gawa ang mga instrumentong ito sa karaniwang kahoy ng Pilipinas tulad ng: langka, pine, molave, cypress, narra, kamagong, mahogany, ballatinao, tanguile, yakal at acacia. Ang puwa ng gitara ay gawa sa talukab ng pagong. Ang labing-apat na instrumentong de-kwerdas ng rondalla maliban sa guitarra ay bumubuo ng anim na bahaging nagbibigay tono - viz., F#, B, E, A, D, G. Ang pagkakadoble o pagkakatriple ng kwerdas ay lumilikha ng mas magandang tunog at lakas ng musika. Sa walong miyembrong rondalla, mairerekomenda na magkaroon ng apat na bandurrias, isang laud, isang octavina, isang guitara, at isang double bass. Ang 30-miyembrong rondalla naman ay may 16 na bandurria, 3 piccolo, 3 lauds, 3 octavinas, 3 guitara at 2 bass. Ang dami ng paggamit ng instrumentong percussion sa maliit man o sa malaking grupo ay opsyonal. Ang rondallang Filipino ay may malawak na pondo ng mga awit mula sa musikang panlipi hanggang sa makabagong tono, mula sa lokal hanggang sa banyagang klasikong musika. Malimit na tumutugtog ang rondalla sa tono ng balitaw, kundiman, balse, danza, martsa at oyayi. Ang makabagong rondalla naman ay tumutugtog sa saliw ng ragtime (isang estilo ng jazz), awit ng pag-ibig at Broadway music . Ang klasikong rondalla naman ay may komposisyon nila Bach, Beethoven at Brahms. Tumutugtog din ang rondalla ng mambo, cha-cha, rock-n-roll, calypso at jerk.

3. LAUD Shaped like the bandurria, but it is bigger with a longer neck and with two f sound holes, usually plays the lower notes in accompaniments, counterparts, and in unison with the bass. The old original laud, better known as the "lute", has a round body in the shape of a half pear, a flat neck with seven or more frets, and a separate pegbox bent back at an angle. Scale length: 19 1/4 in.(distance from the nut to the bridge) Tuning head length:10 1/2in. Tuning head width: 2 3/8 - 2 5/8 in. Fingerboard length: 13 1/2 in. Fingerboard width at Nut: 2 in. at last Fret: 2 3/8 in. No. of Strings: 14

4. BANDURRIA Pear-shaped body, with round sound hole, the mainstay of the group and usually carries the main melody, plays melodies and counterparts. Bandurrias may be divided into first, second, and third, each one playing a different part. Scale length: 12 in. (distance from the nut to the bridge) Tuning head length:10 1/4 in. Tuning head width: 2 - 2 3/4 in. Fingerboard length: 7 1/8 in. Fingerboard width: at Nut: 2 in. at last Fret: 2 3/8 in. No. of Strings: 14

5. BAJO DE UÑAS The double bass, also called bass VIOL or contrabass is four(4)-stringed, the largest instrument of the rondalla, shaped like the violin with two f sound holes, provides the fundamental tome and reinforces the rhythm. Until 1910, the bass-guitar was just a little bit bigger than the ordinary guitar, and was played in the samThe double bass, also called bass VIOL or contrabass is four(4)-stringed, the largest instrument of the rondalla, shaped like the violin with two f sound holes, provides the fundamental tome and reinforces the rhythm. Until 1910, the bass-guitar was just a little bit bigger than the ordinary guitar, and was played in the same manner as the guitar, placed on the lap. Later, the bass-guitar adapted a tailpiece, and was henceforth played with the player standing up. In the interior of the bass, a small piece of round wood is fixed immediately behind the right foot of the bridge, to act as a support. It is called the 'sound post'. Under the bridge's left foot a strip of wood known as the 'bass bar' is glued lengthways along the belly e manner as the guitar, placed on the lap. Later, the bass-guitar adapted a tailpiece, and was henceforth played with the player standing up. In the interior of the bass, a small piece of round wood is fixed immediately behind the right foot of the bridge, to act as a support. It is called the 'sound post'. Under the bridge's left foot a strip of wood known as the 'bass bar' is glued lengthways along the belly

6. OCTAVINA Formed like a guitar with shorter neck, with round sound hole, like the laud plays the lower notes in accompaniments, counterparts, and in unison with the bass, tuned like the laud. Scale length: 19 3/4 in. (distance from the nut to the bridge) Tuning head length:10 1/4 in. Tuning head width: 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 in. Fingerboard length: 13 1/2 in. Fingerboard width at Nut: 2 in. at last Fret: 2 7/8 in. No. of Strings: 14

7. GUITAR Six(6)-stringed with long fretted neck which can be plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum, larger body as the octavina with round sound hole, plays the accompaniments, but it also plays melodies and counterparts, provides the permanent rhythm for the group using chordal and arpeggio accompaniments. Scale length: 25 5/8 in.(distance from the nut to the bridge) Tuning head length: 6 13/16 in. Tuning head width: 2 5/8 - 2 7/8 in. Fingerboard length: 25 1/2 in. Fingerboard width at Nut: 2 in. at last Fret: 2 5/8 in. No. of Strings: 6

8. Ilan lamang ang mga sumusunod na tanyag na samahan ng rondalla: Philippine Rondalla Yellow Taxi Rondalla Manila Simbunsya Rondalla Teatro Zarsuela Rondalla Centro Escolar University Rondalla Juan Silos Rondalla Rondalla Ensemble Philippine Dance Company Rondalla Rondalla Oriental