Piphat

A piphat (Thai: วงปี่พาทย์) is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments.

The smallest piphat, called piphat khrueang ha, is composed of six instruments: pi nai (oboe); ranat ek (xylophone); khong wong yai (gong circle); taphon or other Thai drums; glong thad, a set of two large barrel drums beaten with sticks; and ching (small cymbals).

It consists of: Wong piphat khrueang yai (Thai: วงปี่พาทย์เครื่องใหญ่, Thai pronunciation: [woŋ pìːpʰâːt kʰrɯ̂əŋ jàj]) is arranged by adding ranat ek lek (ระนาดเอกเหล็ก; treble metallophone) and ranat thum lek (ระนาดทุ้มเหล็ก; bass metallophone) to the wong piphat khrueang khu.

In some funerals in Thailand the nang hong variant ensemble is supplemented by Western instruments like trumpets, saxophones, clarinets and even a drum kit, guitars and an electric piano.

Wong piphat mon khrueang yai (Thai: วงปี่พาทย์มอญเครื่องใหญ่, Thai pronunciation: [woŋ pìːpʰâːt mɔːn kʰrɯ̂əŋ jàj]) is arranged by adding ranat ek lek and ranat thum lek to the piphat mon khrueang khu.

Gong-chime ensembles are also found in other Southeast Asian nations, such as Gamelan in Indonesia, and Kulintang in the Philippines.