BEST NEW AGE, AMBIENT, OR CHANT ALBUM

The Vietnamese Stork is a classic instrument. It is also called the "Dan Co" or "Dan Nhi" and has five parts: the neck, the body, the head, the bridge, and the strings. Dan Co has a wide range of two octaves, and the sound is clear and soft, close to the high voice (needle voice).

Dan Co plays a key role in Hat Xam (traditional music in North Vietnam), being a member of the Bat Am, the Nha Nhac Orchestra, the Chau Van Band, the amateur band, and the General Orchestra in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Zither (Tam Thap Luc) originated from the Persian country of Santur, was made in the 12th century, and was introduced to Southeast Asia in the 18th century. The zither plays an important role in orchestras for the Cheo and Cai Luong stages, and it can be used as an accompaniment for singing, solo, and in the general traditional orchestra.

The guitar’s trapezoidal top is made of light and spongy wood, and the bridge is made of solid wood. The left neck has 36 hooks for stringing, and the right neck has 36 shafts for tuning. The strings are made of metal, and the rods are made of two thin bamboo sticks. The zither’s vocal range is quite wide, about 4 octaves.

The Vietnamese Bamboo Flute,  

from ancient times to the present, the bamboo flute has been associated with Vietnamese cultural and spiritual life. The bamboo flute can be played solo or in chord form and can also be combined with traditional orchestra, symphony, light music, or chamber music.

The material used to make this musical instrument is a bamboo pipe with a diameter of about 1.5cm and a length of 30cm. The pipe’s body is cut with a keyhole and 6 or 10 musical holes. The bamboo flute can express many nuances of emotions with a range of over two octaves.

The Vietnamese Monochord.  

In traditional Vietnamese orchestras, Dan Bau or Doc Huyen Cam (Monochord) is regular. There are two types of monochord: bamboo body and wooden box.

The instrument has only one string running through the body. The string was made of silk, later replaced by iron strings. The necks were made of bamboo in the past, but they are now often replaced by buffalo horns.

Gourds are made of dried gourd shells or lathe wood. The winding shaft is made of bamboo or wood and placed close to the player’s side. The plectrum, which has one sharp side, is usually sharpened by bamboo, coconut body, or softwood.