Physical Similarities

• All Filipino rondalla instruments are stringed instruments that look like guitars. However, instead of being plucked by the player's fingers, players pluck the strings with a plectrum made out of turtle shell. Australia's Rondanihan string band explains that wood native to the Philippines is cut and shaped to make parts for traditional rondalla instruments. Common wood types include mahogany, langka, tanguile, rosewood, ballatinao, narra and kamagong Similar to guitars, every rondalla instrument has front and back plates, side walls and a hollow body.
  
  

Functional Similarities

• The similar style of rondalla instruments directly affects the similarity in the functionality of the instruments as well. When rondalla instrument strings are plucked, the front plate or sound board against which the strings reverberate pick up the vibrations turning them into sound. Strings across the necks of the instruments above the hollow bodies are fingerboard strings. Pressing fingerboard strings control vibrations and adjust sound pitch. Holes in the bodies of the instruments affect the timbre of sounds.
  
  

Sound Ranges

• The differences in the sound ranges of each rondalla instrument make them essential in band and orchestra formations. The banduria is relied upon for the F sharp sound but it can be played up to a three-line G. The laud and octavina are modifications of the banduria but they play at lower octaves. The laud and octavina carry ranges from great F to two-line G. The rondalla guitar provides rhythm with ranges from great E to two-line E. Finally, the bajo de arco or double bass guitar reinforces beats in a range from contra-E to small A but unlike the cello, it is not played with a bow.
  
  

Physical Differences

• Physical differences among rondalla instruments are apparent but few. Of the five instruments, the laud has the longest neck and the sound holes for timbre are s-shaped instead of being round or horizontal. These differences distinguish it from the banduria though they both share a pear-shaped body. The octavina and guitar look almost identical but a trained eye notices that the octavina is smaller and it has at least 12 strings while a traditional guitar only has six. The double bass guitar is shaped like a big violin. Its sound hole is horizontal and it has four strings.