Ding Tac

Ding Tac ta is a name given to a popular instrument of E De ethnic group. Being an airophone with a free-vibrated reed, Ding Tac ta is made from a hornless bamboo tube of 42 cm long and 2 cm diameter. The tube is put through a dry gourd. At the hornless section inside the gourd, there places a bamboo reed. The flute has 3 finger holes, of which, 2 upper holes are 5 cm distant from each other.

When blowing, instrumentalist holds the knob of the gourd while his right hand thumb presses one end of the hornless tube (the short end). Meanwhile, his left thumb, forefinger and middle finger are in charge of the three finger holes on the tube (the long end) and can demonstrate techniques such as tongue articulation, flutter-tongue, appoggiature, and so on. Ding Tac ta has a rather loud sound, with sweet, clear, strong and sonorous timbres.

Ding Tac ta is usually played in fields, or on the roads, or during love-song singing activities.

Text and Photos courtesy by Vietnam Datacommunication Company (VDC)
and Vietnamese Institute for Musicology (V.I.M)