Update : October 17, 2021

Burmese Music

The Burmese classify musical instruments as

• Kyay
• Kyo
• Tha Yay
• Lay
• Let Khoke

• Burmese Saing Waing has Jazz as a distant cousin.
  The musicians perform extemporaneously.

• Burmese Dobat was common
  e.g. in Thingyan and Ah Hlu

Miscellaneous

Philharmonic orchestras have various sections. e.g. Wind, Brass

There are String Quartets

• Violin
• Viola
• Cello
• Bass

During our younger days, most pop bands had

• Lead guitar
• Rhythm guitar
• Bass guitar
• Drums

There are a variety of guitars

• 12 string
• Steel
• Hawaiian
• Acoustic
• Electric

Some musicians play multiple instruments (e.g. at different times).

• Paul McCartney usually plays the Bass guitar, but he sometimes also plays the piano.
• George Harrison usually plays the Rhythm guitar, but he sometimes also plays the sitar.
• U Aunt Gyi usually plays the Accordion, but he sometimes also plays the piano and the guitar.

A few play two instruments (e.g. harmonica & guitar) at the same time.

During our younger days, several foreign bands and musicians visited Burma

• Benny Goodman (saxophone) and his band
• Duke Ellington and his band
• 13th US Air Force band
• Musicians (via the Cultural Exchange Program)

There are advances in musical instruments.

• The Synthesizer can simulate many musical instruments.
• Composition and play back of musical instruments can be done with the aid of MIDI.