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devil chaser

A percussion instrument originating in Southern Asia and commonly found in India and the Philippines. It is an idiophone made from a bamboo stalk that is split down the middle for about half of its length, with a tuning hole, that make an interesting sound when struck against the hand or other surfaces. Rich humming noises are produced from the natural cracks in the bamboo, and a musician can place their thumb over the tuning hole at one end of the instrument to control the air to flow in and out while striking it, adding a characteristic buzzing sound. The sound ranges from a hum to a roar, depending on size and playing technique. This noise was used by early villagers to ward off the devil and evil spirits, thus giving it its name.

Also known as the balingbing.


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