LEARNING PACKETS IN MUSIC 5

First Semester Weeks 3, 4, and 5

Lesson 3 – Vocal and Instrumental Timbre and
Ensembles in the Philippines

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

A. describe the timbre of different instruments and voices using correct
adjectives;
B. identify your own vocal timbre;
C. name musical instruments by listening to their timbre;
D. identify the instruments in a rondalla, orchestra, drum and lyre band, and
bamboo ensemble; and
E. discuss and appreciate the culture of the Philippines through the music of
the different Philippine ensembles.

Week 3

Vocal Sounds
Our voices have different colors or quality, or in musical terms, Timbre. Timbre is
what makes your voice unique and different from your classmate even if you’re
of the same age, or from your sister or mother. Timbre is what makes our favorite
singer’s voice different from another person’s favorite singer’s voice.
Because our voices are invisible, we use other sense, not just our ears, to describe
them. This is the reason why some people may describe a singer’s voice as cool
(touch), or smooth like velvet, rich like chocolate (taste), you might even hear
some describing voice as having the characteristics of the color yellow(sight),
meaning someone’s voice is bright and brings joy.
How can we describe one’s timbre? Here are a few adjectives that you can use
to describe one’s voice quality.

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 bright dark piercing light
thin thick rounded warm
pure breathy/airy heavy mellow
pitchy smooth hoarse raspy

In choral music, voices are divided into four main sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor,
and Bass. Voices are divided according to their timbre and singing range.
Soprano – is a high female voice. Usually, a soprano’s voice is light and thin. But
there are other soprano singers whose voices are also thick and heavy.
Alto – a low female voice. Usually, an alto’s voice is thick and dark. But there are
alto singers whose voice might be light, but this is very uncommon.
If your voice is in the middle of Soprano and Alto, you might be classified as
mezzo-soprano.
Tenor – a high male voice. Just like the soprano, the tenor usually has a light and
agile voice.
Bass – a low male voice. Just like the alto, the bass usually has a thick and dark
vocal timbre.
If one’s voice range is in the middle of bass and tenor, he might be classified as a
baritone.

Synchronous
Activity A: Listen to songs of some famous singers. On the first column, write the
name of the singer. On the second column, describe their voice using the
adjectives provided. On the third column, write their vocal section.

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 Name of singer Adjectives to describe Vocal section
the voice (write 2-3)
1.

2.

3.

SYNTHESIS:
Identify your own vocal timbre. How would you describe your voice? Which vocal
section do you think you belong to?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Color in Timbre Project

Materials:
Bond/Oslo Paper
Listen to Fly to Paradise by Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir. To access the video, go
to the video channel of your subject team. On a bond or oslo paper, draw a
situation or scene that you imagine while listening to the music. Answer the
following questions:
1. What feelings or emotions did the music give you? Explain your drawing
and the elements of the music (dynamics, melody, tempo, timbre, lyrics)
that made you choose to do this drawing.
2. How will you describe the timbre of the soloists’ vocals?

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Week 4

Just like our voices, instruments have different timbres too. The differences in the
timbre of instruments are affected by a lot of factors. Listen to the following
musical selections being played by two different instruments. Can you identify the
instruments?

1. ___________________ and _________________

2. ___________________ and _________________
3. ___________________ and _________________

Instrumental Ensemble
Timbre is the specific tone or quality of a particular instrument or voice. It is the
distinctive sound that belongs to an instrument and helps listeners distinguish it
from other instruments or source of sound.

Timbre is unique to an instrument. That means, all instruments have different and
distinct timbre, there are no instruments that will have the same tone quality.
Some instruments may sound similar, but there are no two different instruments
that sound the same.

It also referred to as tone quality or tone color. This is because there is a wide
spectrum or range of instrument sounds. We often use the terms warm, dark,
bright, cool, or buzzy to describe tone color. For example, the tone color of
instruments which produce low sounds are often described as dark.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the timbre of an instrument. The way
the instrument is played affects the sound that it produces. A spiccato will create
a different timbre from a pizzicato, even if they are both played in the same
violin. Some percussion instruments produce sound when they are struck with
sticks or mallets. Their bodies are hollow, which amplifies their sound even more.

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Woodwind instruments, like the flute, are blown to produce sounds.
String instruments like the violin and viola, are played by plucking or by using a
bow.

The shape and size of an instrument also affects its timbre. Generally, larger
instruments produce deeper and lower sounds than the small ones.

Look at this picture of the string instruments.

The double bass, which is the largest of the
four, produces lower and deeper sounds
than the rest.
Listen as the teacher plays a video showing
the sounds of the four instruments in the
String family.

The flute and the piccolo are both from the same family, but the flute is longer,
while the piccolo is shorter.

Piccolo Flute

Listen to the differences that the flute and the piccolo produce in the video the
teacher will show.

The material of the instrument may also affect its timbre. An acoustic guitar will
sound different from an electric guitar, even if they’re both guitars. Similarly, the
woodwind instruments and the brass instruments both produce sound when
blown through a mouthpiece, but the woodwind instruments are made of wood
and metal while the brass instruments are made of metal or brass alone,
therefore, they have different timbres and will produce different sounds.

The Orchestra
An orchestra is an ensemble of multiple musicians with varied instruments. An
orchestra can come in different sizes, depending on the number of players. A
chamber orchestra may have around 15 musicians. A symphony orchestra may
have over 100 musicians.

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 The Instruments of the Orchestra
The String Family
The four most commonly used instruments in the string family are the violin, the
viola, the cello, and the double bass. All of them are made out of wood pieced
together to form a hollow sound box, and four strings. Sound is produced by
making the strings vibrate by plucking them, strumming, or using a bow across
them. A bow is made out of horse hair. As previously mentioned, because of the
difference in the sizes of the instruments, they have different range and timbres,
even if they belong to the same family. Of the four, the violin produces the
highest pitches and usually sounds the brightest. While the double bass, the
biggest of the four, and is played vertically, is the lowest-pitched and produces
the deepest sounds.
The Woodwind Family
The instruments of the woodwind family used to be all made of wood, and are
played by blowing air into them, that’s why they are called woodwind. But now,
some instruments in the family are now made of wood, metal, plastic, or some
combinations of materials. The woodwind family includes the flute, piccolo,
oboe, French horn, clarinet, the bass clarinet, the bassoon, and the
contrabassoon. The saxophone, although made of a different material, also falls
under the woodwind family. The saxophone is quite uncommon in classical
orchestras, but is very common in jazz, military, marching, and concert bands.
The Brass Family
The Brass instruments are made of long pipes that has ends that are bell-like in
shape. The pipes, which are made of brass, are curved and twisted into different
shapes to make them easier to hold and play. Brass musicians can insert mutes
into the bell of their instrument to change the timbre of the instrument’s sound.
The brass family includes the trumpet, trombone, French horn, bass trombone,
and tuba.
The Percussion Family
The percussion instruments proved rhythm and texture to orchestral music. They
are played by striking, shaking, or scraping them. The percussion family includes
the timpani, the snare drum, the bass drum, triangle, gong, cymbals, xylophone,
marimba, glockenspiel, chimes. There are other instruments that belong to the
percussion family but are not widely used in an orchestra such as the tambourine,
castanets, and rattles.
Where do you think does the piano belong?

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The Rondalla
The Rondalla is a native string ensemble of the Philippies. It consists of plectrum or
stringed instruments such as the bandurria, laud, octavina, mandola, guitarra,
and the bajo de uñas. When the Spaniards brought the guitar to the Philippines is
when the Filipinos were inspired to develop the rondalla. The Filipino Rondalla
plays folk songs as well as modern and contemporary tunes. Most commonly,
they play folk tunes like kundiman, balitaw, balse, marches, and lullabies. The
modern rondalla playes love songs, ragtime, and broadway music. They also
play dance crazes like the mambo, cha-cha, and rock-n-roll. Filipino rondalla
play during baptisms, mass celebrations, weddings, funerals, and fiestas.
Get to know some existing Rondalla ensembles in the Philippines.

Dipolog Community Rondalla

The DCR has participated in a lot of
activities in the Philippines and abroad
with their group, the Strings of
Unity/Cuerdas, and has won in a lot of
competitions. Based in the city of
Dipolog, DCR consists of elementary,
high school and college students, as
well as working professionals in the
Figure 1. Rondalla Festival Facebook. 2018. Dipolog Community academe.
Rondalla

Kabataang Silay Rondalla Ensemble

Kabataang Silay Rondalla from Negros
Occidental is composed of the less
fortunate youth of the community who
have great potential in the field. Their
aim is to mainly promote local art and
culture and had received awards and
recognition from local and international
cultural festivals. Figure 2. Province of Antique. 2018. Kabataang
Silay Rondalla Ensemble

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 Himig Kwerdas
Himig Kwerdas is composed of
students from Iloilo City National
High School. They are a modern
rondalla and incorporates other
western instruments such as the
piano and drums in the
ensemble.
Figure 3 ICNHS Himig Kwerdas

The Drum and Lyre Corps

The Drum and Lyre Corps is a typical marching ensemble consisting of percussion
instruments and a color guard section (team of performers who interpret the
music that the ensemble play through synchronized steps using the flags, sabres,
and through dance). It originated in the Philippines, as an alternative to the drum
and bugle corps of the western countries. The band section consists of the snare
drums, multiple tenor drums, bass drums, and sometimes, clash cymbals. The lyre
section, which makes up the majority of the band and plays the melodic parts,
will sometimes include a bass lyre, a bell lyre, and a grand lyre. Each having
different range of keys.
Drum and Lyre corps are often seen in parades during town fiestas.
Bamboo Ensemble
Bamboo Ensembles are orchestras that make use of native Philippine bamboo
instruments such as the bamboo musical rattles or angklung, bamboo piano or
tipangklung, bamboo tube or bumbong, bamboo marimba or talungating,
bamboo flute or tulali, and bamboo knockers or kalatok. Other ensembles
include the gongs, cymbals, other bamboo instruments such as the patteteg and
bunkaka. Bamboo ensembles performs mostly folksongs from different regions of
the country during cultural presentations and programs. Sometimes, they also
feature modern pop songs in their repertoire.

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One of the leading school-based
ensembles in the Philippine is the Alicia
Bamboo Ensemble (Bohol Children’s
Bamboo Ensemble) composed of thirty
school children from the Katipunan
Elementary School in Bohol. They have
participated and won the First Prize three
times in the Philippine’s National Music
Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA). Figure 4 Alicia Bamboo Ensemble
They have performed all over the
Philippines and abroad.

Activity A: Listening
Watch the following performances and get to know some of the existing
Rondalla and Bamboo ensembles and Drum and Lyre Corps in the Philippines.
Answer the question the question that follows.

Rondalla Ensemble

1. Biyahe Tayo by Kabataang Silay Rondalla from Silay City in Western Visayas

Biyahe Tayo is the promotional song of the Department of Tourism in 2004,

aimed at encouraging Filipinos to be more aware and appreciative of
their own local attractions and to inspire a sense of pride for the beauty
and richness in history and culture of the country.

2. Walang Hanggang Paalam by Joey Ayala

Walang Hanggang Paalam is a kundiman composed by the famous
Filipino song writer, Joey Ayala.

3. Mundo – IV of Spades Rondalla Cover by Himig Kwerdas Rondalla

In this particular cover, the ensemble included a piano, an electric guitar
for the riffs and guitar solo part, and an electric drum pad to add rhythm
and beats to this cover of the famous OPM song, Mundo.

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Drum and Lyre Corps
1. Sinag Katipunan – Grand Champion at the first Baclaran Drum and Lyre
competition held at Baclaran, Parañaque City.
2. Mambusao National High School Drum and Lyre Corps

Bamboo Ensemble

1. In their audition for Pilipinas Got Talent, Alicia Bamboo Ensemble performed
the folk dance, Tinikling, accompanied by their instruments.

What role do instruments and different ensembles such as the orchestra, rondalla,
drum and lyre corps, and bamboo ensembles play in the cultivation of the
culture of the Philippines?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Activity B. Active Listening

Identify the instruments that you will hear. Write your answers on the spaces
provided.
1.____________________
2. ___________________
3. ___________________
4. ___________________
5. ___________________

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Activity C.
Classify the musical instruments according to the ensemble where they belong.
Some instruments may belong to more than one ensemble.

Lyre Violin Octavina Double Bass Bunkaka

Bandurria Flute Cymbals Saxophone Tuba
Bassoon Piano Angklung Piccolo Laud

Orchestra Rondalla Drum and Lyre Bamboo Ensemble

1. 1. 1. 1.
2. 2. 2. 2.
3. 3. 3. 3.
4. 4. 4. 4.
5. 5. 5. 5.

My Instrument Project
Materials:
Bond/oslo paper
Coloring materials

Of the instruments that you learned, choose one that you want to learn how to
play. If you already play instruments, choose one that you want to be good at.
Draw them on a bond or oslo paper and answer the following questions.
1. Why did you choose this instrument?
2. What is the timbre of your musical instrument? Describe the sound of your
instrument.

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Week 5
Mini Performance Task #2 – Group Performance
Your ensemble is invited to perform the song, “Pumalkpak ka” in a cultural event. Form a
group with six to seven members and come up with your own ensemble name. Use

Philippine indigenous instruments to perform the rhythmic (hand clap) part of the song.
(30 points)

Rubrics

Criteria Weight (4) (3) (2) (1)

Rhythm 30% The students The students The students The students
always perform most perform the were not able
perform the of the rhythm rhythm with a to perform
song in of the song lot of mistakes. with accurate
perfect accurately. rhythm during
rhythm as the entire
performance.

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 shown in the
music sheet.
Melody 30% The students The students The students The students
always sing in sing most of sing the melody were not able
perfect pitch the melody with a lot of to perform the
as shown in of the song obvious correct
the music accurately. mistakes. melody of the
sheet. song.
Voice 20% The students The students The students The students
Quality sing with sing with sing with did not sing
always sing pleasing pleasing vocal with pleasing
with very vocal quality. quality most of vocal quality
pleasing vocal the time, and and might
quality and may have used have used
uses head chest tones and their chest
and chest head tones tones too
tones inaccurately in much that
accurately. some parts of resulted in
the either shouting
performance. or whispering
instead of
singing.
Expression 20% The students The students The students The students
always sing sing with sing with a sing with a
with accurate tempo and tempo and
appropriate tempo and dynamics dynamics not
tempo and dynamics. appropriate to
dynamics They used the song.
which their voices
effectively and
expresses the instruments
emotion of the to make
song. They these
used their changes in
voices and tempo and
instruments to dynamics
make these correctly.
changes in
tempo and
dynamics
correctly.

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REFERENCES:

Arapahoe Philharmonic. (n.d.). Instruments of the Orchestra. https://www.arapahoe-

phil.org/plan-your-visit/resources/instruments-of-the-orchestra/

Artuz, et al. (2017). Enjoying Life through Music, Art, Physical Education, and Health
Grade 5: Teachers Wraparound Edition. Phoenix Publishing House

Kababayang Pilipino. (n.d.). Rondalla: The Sounds of KP.

https://kababayangpilipino.org/rondalla/

Lumen. (n.d.) Vocal Types and Ranges. Music Appreciation.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/musicappreciation_with_theory/chapter/introductio
n/

Sinag Katipunan Drum and Lyre Corps. (n.d.). Sinag Katipunan Drum and Lyre Corps.
https://sinagkatipunan.wixsite.com/sinagkatipunanako/our_music

The Cleveland Orchestra. (2021, March 4). What is an Orchestra? | Episode 1

Introduction – Preview [video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrOQ_1HCxzI

What is a Rondalla? (n.d.) University of the Philippines Alumni &Friends Rondalla.

https://www.upafrondalla.org/rondalla.html

Videos:

Aussie Vocal Coach. (2020, July 23). What Voice Type Am I? – A Complete Vocal Range
Test. [video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fr6Fk4qIp0

Eiramoj Bulan (2012, My 22). Baclaran DLC Competition May 22, 2012 – Sinag Katipunan
DLC [video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHExyRj1QfU

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir. (2013, July 11). Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise
[video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8oDnUga0JU

Leovisionph (2012, April 24). Tara Na Biyahe Tayo – Kabataang Silay Rondalla [video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8s85AJwItQ

Mhar Gajo (2018, Sept. 8). Mundo – IV of Spades Rondalla Cover [video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSO7fw5Le0

Nathan 08. (2019, Nov. 24). Mambusao East National High School | Drum &Lyre Corps
[video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGvAyYCLVDI

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Pilipinas Got Talent. (2016, Mar. 6). Pilipinas Got Talent Season 5 Auditions: Alicia Bohol
Musika Kawayan – Bamboo Musicians [video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GxeLxNv3KE

Yodi Insigne (2020, Dec. 3). Rondalla Music – Walang Hanggang Paalam – Dipolog
Community Rondalla – Filipino Arts Music Ensemble [video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsntAkXT2vQ

Images:

Rondalla Festival (2018, Nov. 11). Dipolog Community Rondalla (Philippines). The
Featured Musicians of the 5th International Rondalla Festival. [Photograph].
https://m.facebook.com/rondalla.festival/photos/a.10155693604982341/10155693616477
341/

Province of Antique (2018, Dec. 7). Kabataang Silay Rondalla Ensemble. [Photograph].
https://m.facebook.com/ProvinceOfAntique/posts/2038668106212249/

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