The T'rưng — a bamboo instrument you'll remember after just one listen

If you go to watch a folk music performance in Da Nang, the thing that usually dominates the stage is the T'rưng: a set of bamboo tubes of varying lengths hung on a frame, struck with mallets. An original instrument of the Central Highlands ethnic groups — Ba Na, Gia Rai, Ê Đê. Each bamboo tube has one end whittled down to tune its pitch — the longer the tube, the deeper the sound. They say the T'rưng sounds like water flowing over stones, and once you hear it, you realize that comparison isn't far off at all. In an ensemble, the T'rưng usually plays alongside the bamboo flute and the đàn tranh (zither) — one instrument carries the melody, one lays down the background, and one marks the rhythm. If you want to listen, keep an eye out for performances at major hotels, city cultural events, or evening programs along the Han River area. Many of them are free to attend. Worth noting: this is the kind of sound that's very hard to capture with a phone — the bass range is almost entirely lost. So just put your phone down and listen instead.