The idiophone of a set of 5 to 9 small (6-10 inches in diameter and 3-5 inches in height) graduated metal kettle or pot gongs, which are laid horizontally upon a frame and arranged in order of pitch. The gongs are laid in the instrument face side up on top of two cords/strings running parallel to the entire length of the frame, with bamboo/wooden sticks/bars resting perpendicular across the frame creating an entire kulintang set called a pasangan. It is played by striking the bosses of the gongs with two wooden beaters.

As part of the larger gong-chime culture of Southeast Asia, kulintang music ensembles have been playing for many centuries in regions of the Eastern Malay Archipelago - the Southern Philippines, Eastern Indonesia, Eastern Malaysia, Brunei and Timor. The instrument is frequently found in gamelan orchestras.