The musical styles of the Visayans include balitaw, a song-and-dance debate between a man and woman about love and marriage. Vocal music includes love songs, courting songs, drinking songs, children's songs, and lullabies. Instrumental music features the rondalla ensemble of string instruments played with a plectrum, including the bandurria, laud, octavina, guitar, and bajo de unas. Bamboo instruments like the tultogan are also used.

1. MUSIC OF THE VISAYAS
MUSICAL STYLE OF THE VISAYANS IS A SONG-AND-DANCE DEBATE
BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN KNOWN AS BALITAW. THE THEME IS
ABOUT THE LOVE AND MARRIAGE USUALLY PERFORMED BY SINGERS,
DANCERS AND ACTORS.

2. VOCAL MUSIC
• MATUD NILA - VISAYAN LOVE SONG
• ROSAS PANDAN - VISAYAN COURTING SONG
• CONDANSOY - VISAYAN DRINKING SONG
• ILO NGA BATA - CHILDREN’S SONG
• DANDANSOY - ILONGGO FAREWELL SONG
• ILI-ILI TULOG ANAY - ILONGGO LULLABYE
• AKO KINI SI ANGI - VISAYAN WORK SONG
• SI PELIMON - VISAYAN WORK SONG

3. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
• RONDALLA -a string ensemble originating from Spain
played with a pick or plectrum
-many Filipino musicians were able to lead the way in
Rondalla Ensemble and one of them was Juan Silos Jr.,
is known as “Father of Rondalla”.
-from the Spanish ronda, meaning “serenade”
-its origin were in the folk playing bands of stringed-
instruments that were played using the plectrum (pick)
as the piccolo, bandurria, laud, octavina, guitar, bajo de
unas (double bass) and often, a drum for percussion.

4. • BANDURRIA is a 14-string instrument
with 16 frets and shorter neck
• It is the soprano instrument of the
rondalla and usually plays the melodic
melodic line of the composition.
• The specific notes of the strings are –F #
B E A D G

5. • LAUD comes from a Spanish word
which means LUTE.
• It is a plectrum-plucked chordophones
that has twelve strings in pairs, similar
to the bandurria, but with a longer neck.
• Like the bandurria, it is tuned in fourths,
but its range is one octave lower.
• The specific notes of the strings are - F #
B E A D G.

6. • OCTAVINA has a shorter neck
compared to the guitar, with 14
strings and 16 frets.
• The instrument is played like the
laud, the lower notes in
accompaniments and in unison with
bass notes.
• It serves as the alto of the rondalla.
• The specific notes of the strings are
F # B E A D G

7. • GUITAR is a popular musical instrument
classified as a chordophone instrument
with usually having 6 strings.
• It is typically played by strumming or
plucking the strings. It plays the rhythm
or beat of the musical piece.
• The specific notes of the strings are – E
A D G B E

8. • Bajo de Unas is the largest
among the instruments in most
stringed ensembles – evident by
thick string, large body, and low
tones.
• The number of strings varies
standard 4-stringed to the rare
stringed, and can have pitches
octaves lower than middle
• It plays the bass part or the
piece.
• The notes of the strings are E A

9. • TULTOGAN – a bamboo and
drum ensemble used by the
natives for communication.
• To produce sound of the
body of the bamboos are
being struck with a sticks.