Tibetan Musical Instrument

Ragdung The rag-dung is a trumpet-type instrument used in special ritual by monks. The largest form has a length of about sixteen feet and lesser lengths of which the one shown here is the shortest. These are used for higher overtones. This striking instrument is made of copper and used in rituals by providing a drone for chanting. The straight and conical bored horn varies in length from 3 feet to 20 feet! It is usually made in sections that can be telescoped for portability. The horn has shallow cup mouthpiece that resembles the western bugle and is capable of producing 3 different tones.  Kangling There are also smaller hand held trumpets with dragon heads at the bell end. The players tend to concentrate on one note from which they slide up and down The Conch or Dung Conch shell trumpets are found in almost every coastal region of the world and in many inland areas as well. They are one of the oldest instruments in the world made from cutting off the top spiral of a conch shell and played by blowing into the resulting opening. They are widely used as a ceremonial and religious instruments(widely used in Buddhist rituals) but have also been used for centuries as a signal horn. The instrument pictured is the Tibetan dung used in Buddhist ceremonies.