In Praise of Thai Music

[Fabricus]

If you've traveled around the world you'll have heard a fair few different sounds.

For a long time the best music I'd heard was in Ziguinchor, an old French colonial town in the south of Senegal.

And then I got to hear Isaan music. IMO this is some of the strangest, most hypnotic and best music in the world. The distinctive sounds are produced from a guitar-like instrument called a pin.

Enjoy:

So ... what do you think of Thai music?

[HOAX]

I do like some Thai music. Especially their use of bass (as I have a great sound system in my car) and some really have incredible voices. I did listen to some of the traditional psychedelic music you posted when I first came to Thailand, but I soon discovered they play this music in every single parade and in many of the pickups that are selling stuff so I quickly grew very tired of this music. But yeah, it's talent. Thai people are very musical, and that shows, because they produce a lot of music, very often of much better quality than mainstream foreign music. That being said, I do still prefer foreign music.

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[robertthebruce]

It's different... In a nice way....

[Fabricus]

I do like some Thai music. Especially their use of bass (as I have a great sound system in my car) and some really have incredible voices. I did listen to some of the traditional psychedelic music you posted when I first came to Thailand, but I soon discovered they play this music in every single parade and in many of the pickups that are selling stuff so I quickly grew very tired of this music. But yeah, it's talent. Thai people are very musical, and that shows, because they produce a lot of music, very often of much better quality than mainstream foreign music. That being said, I do still prefer foreign music.

I did listen to some of the traditional psychedelic music you posted when I first came to Thailand, but I soon discovered they play this music in every single parade and in many of the pickups that are selling stuff so I quickly grew very tired of this music

I guess familiarity breeds contempt. I live near the Malaysian border and only get to hear Isaan music on Youtube.

You're definitely right re: talent.

Another (mainly Isaan) instrument to check out is the khaen. I don't really like the sound, but appreciate the uniqueness.

[Enoon]

Sculpture of Wot (panpipe) in BungPalanchai Park,Roi-Et city.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Enoon

[dotpoom]

A bit like Barney Mc Kenna who was the Bango player with "The Dubliners".....May he R.I.P.

[giddyup]

Love it! Would have been trippin' to that back in the 70's.

[Ace of Pop]

About as crap as the food

[UdeBoCM]

About as crap as the food

Just have to add a o to your last name, then

[giddyup]

About as crap as the food

Spoken by someone who obviously has no appreciation for music.

[Gerard052]

About as crap as the food

Spoken by someone who obviously has no appreciation for music.

I listen to classic music, not this crap.

[Balance]

I have been in Chiang Mai for over 4 years and can count on one hand the number of times I have heard traditional Thai music. Two of those were on walking street where a group of aging musicians was playing. My wife asked if they play at other venues and the answer was no.

I would be very interested to know if there was a guide to traditional music, the names of the groups, etc.

Thanks

[bazza40]

Sounds a bit tinny compared to guitars.

Unable to relate to Thai vocalists, sounds like cats fighting. Or being tortured.

The best Thai music I've heard was at the temple above Mae Hong Son, children singing in a choir.

Edited March 24, 2016 by bazza40

[bannork]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=708_TfcIh3Y

[bannork]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoTbsxfsgZM

[Fabricus]

Sounds a bit tinny compared to guitars.

Unable to relate to Thai vocalists, sounds like cats fighting. Or being tortured.

The best Thai music I've heard was at the temple above Mae Hong Son, children singing in a choir.

Interesting.

To me that pin guitar sounds metallic rather than tinny. I wonder if your treble setting needs adjusting.

What sort of choir music did you hear? Are we talking Christianity?

[Fabricus]

I have been in Chiang Mai for over 4 years and can count on one hand the number of times I have heard traditional Thai music. Two of those were on walking street where a group of aging musicians was playing. My wife asked if they play at other venues and the answer was no.

I would be very interested to know if there was a guide to traditional music, the names of the groups, etc.

Thanks

There's a guy out there called Joe Cummings who may be able to help.

He wrote the Lonely Planet guide a few years back (perhaps he still does) and was very interested in traditional Thai music. I know he lives (or lived) in Chiang Mai.

http://www.rolfpotts.com/writers/cummings.html

[bazza40]

Sounds a bit tinny compared to guitars.

Unable to relate to Thai vocalists, sounds like cats fighting. Or being tortured.

The best Thai music I've heard was at the temple above Mae Hong Son, children singing in a choir.

Interesting.

To me that pin guitar sounds metallic rather than tinny. I wonder if your treble setting needs adjusting.

What sort of choir music did you hear? Are we talking Christianity?

You may be right. I have Sennheiser headphones going into the laptop, and my hearing has lost the highest registers. So possibly on both counts.

Couldn't tell you what the music was; however, they were singing to a row of Buddhist monks on a dais. Assume Buddhist.

[rgs2001uk]

I love Mor lam/Luk Thung music, not for the music, but for the simple observations.

Was sat at traffic lights the other day, was listening to some song, but not paying attention, usual morlam beat, it was only when the singer went into a rant

about losing his girlfriend to facebook it cuaght my attention.

The lyrics were so simple but so spot on.

Len face talot wan, len line talot wela.

If you can understand Thai you will piss yourself at this simple homespun philosphy.

Great stuff

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSVhG8yU3C8

[Khon Kaen Dave]

I love Isaan traditional music,especially when we get it blaring out all over the village at 6 o'clock in the bloody morning!

Ive tried to get them to play 'The Lark ascending' by Vaughn Williams,but those pesky Thai's will have none of it.

[giddyup]

About as crap as the food

Spoken by someone who obviously has no appreciation for music.

I listen to classic music, not this crap.

You need to expand your tastes.

[Ace of Pop]

Ever been to a Thai Party .You can't talk to anyone.Tons O Base n Distorted volume level ,they love it ,as is their right.

[giddyup]

Ever been to a Thai Party .You can't talk to anyone.Tons O Base n Distorted volume level ,they love it ,as is their right.

Ever been to a headbangers party in Australia, Def Leppard set at 11 on the stereo?

[RolandRat]

One word to describe the majority of it "irritating", like a fly you cant swat.

Especially when awoken by it at 4.00am because someone has either died or getting married.

only to be temporarily interrupted with the "wah wah wah, nappa wah yak na nap wah wah" of the guys in orange, before back to boom boom bass and out of tune wailing.

[mauGR1]

https://youtu.be/M-q7naOq9wQ?list=PLWqmCgb0r_R0XODihRki4Czs3APdzmFSU

I love Thai pop music, especially the instrument in the OP.

Thanks for sharing

I have to admit that years ago this music sounded weird to my hears, now it's just part of the cultural landscape.

[Fabricus]

The Thai xylophone: the ranad ek

The sound quality is far from perfect, but you'll get the general idea:

[GOLDBUGGY]

The best music I ever heard in my life was in Nigeria.

All the Nigerians know how to sing well. Every morning before they start work they would break off into smaller groups and sing a few songs. I guess it was more like Gospel as they were singing praise in hopes of a safe day at work. Give anyone of them a broom handle, a tin garbage can, and a garbage can lid and they made there own orchestra including Bongo Drums from tipped over plastic containers. I used to try an get out there each morning just so I could listen to them. Quite amazing actually.

[Fabricus]

The best music I ever heard in my life was in Nigeria.

All the Nigerians know how to sing well. Every morning before they start work they would break off into smaller groups and sing a few songs. I guess it was more like Gospel as they were singing praise in hopes of a safe day at work. Give anyone of them a broom handle, a tin garbage can, and a garbage can lid and they made there own orchestra including Bongo Drums from tipped over plastic containers. I used to try an get out there each morning just so I could listen to them. Quite amazing actually.

Great post. I can vaguely identify with what you've written. I've never come across Nigerian music, however.

My understanding is that most experts on African music rate sounds from Mali at number one.

The following video was shot in Mali -- I wonder if it's similar to what you heard in Nigeria?

Another style worth checking out is the fusion between sub-saharan rhythms and Moroccan / Tuareg sounds.

I once had a GF whose surname was Nouali. She was a strikingly beautiful French girl of Tuareg / Mauritanian descent who loved this type of music.

[johng]

Edited March 26, 2016 by johng

[johng]