Pi Phat Ensemble

         Pi Phat Khryang Ha
         Pi Phat Khryang Khu
         Pi Phat Khryang Yai
         Pi Phat Nang Hong
         Pi Phat Duk dam ban
         Piphat Mon 

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Piphat Khryang Ha (Piphat Quintet) This ensemble was developed from the Piphat Chatri and is accompanied by the Khone (masked dance), Lakorn and Nang Yai in the Ayuthaya period. The ensemble consists of:

One Ranad Ek
One Khawng Wong Yai
One Ta Phon
A pair of Glawng That
One Pi Nai
One Ching (Other rhythmic
percussion usually added).

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The Piphat Khryang Khu (Double Piphat Ensemble) developed from the Piphat Kruang Ha and has been used in Thai music since the reign of King Chakri III. The instruments consist of:

One Ranad Ek
One Khawng Wong Lek
One Pi Nog (sometime)
One Ta Phon
One Ranad Thum
One Khawng Wong Yai
One Pi Nai
One pair of Glawng That
Ching, Chab, Grab, Mong and other rhythmic percussion usually added.

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Piphat Khryang Yai (The Large Piphat Ensemble) represents the high development of the piphat, namely after metal xylophone (ranad ek lek and thume lek) used during the reign of King Chahri I. The piphat Kruang Yai has fourteen instruments in its ensemble:

One Ranad Ek
One Ranad Ek Lek
One Khawng Wong Lek
One Pi Nai
One Ta  Phon
One Ranad Thum
One Ranad Thum Lek
One Khawng Wong Yai
One Pi-Nog (sometime)
A pair of Glawng That
Ching, Chab Lek, Chab Yai, Grab and Mong usually added

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Piphat Nang Hong (Cremation Piphat) is a special piphat named according to the piece that is usually played by this ensemble. The piece is “Tab Ruang Nang Hong.” The Nang Hong ceremonial suite it is only played in cremation ceremonies. Piphat Nang Hong is a combination of a piphat mai khaung and Malayu drum ensemble, minus the pinong. It consists of the following instruments:

One Ranad Ek
One Khawng Wong Yai
One Pi Java
One Ranad thum
One Khawng Wong Lek
A pair of Malayu Drum
Ching, Chab, Grab, Mong usually added.

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Piphat Duk dam ban is a new piphat ensemble, established in the year 1898 by “Somdej Gromphaya Naris,” and consisting twelve perforners.

One Ranad Ek
One Ranad Thum
A set of 7 pitches Gongs
One Saw-U
One Khlui-U
One Ta Phon
One Ranad Thum Lek
One Khawng Wong Yai
One Khlui Phiang Aw
One Tapone
A pair of Glawng Khaek (Other rhythmic percussion sometimes added.)

The Piphat Doughdamban is always played indoor since soft-sounding instruments comprise  the ensemble

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Piphat Mon:  the Thai piphat in Mon style was not popular until the reign of King Chakri Rama IV. He commanded that the piphat Mon accompany the cremation ceremony of his queen, but it was not popular yet at that time. During the reign of King Vajiravuth (Rama VI), however, Luang Pradit Pairac brought the Piphat Mon into the normal cremation ceremony, and since then, it became well-known. Piphat Mon has many instruments like other piphat ensembles, but it differs in that it has the Gong Wong (Circle Gong), which was added to the U-shape gong set instead of gong wong yai. The Tapone  was replaced by "Tapone Mon" which was bigger.  The Pi Nai was replaced by Pi Mon and added the round circle drum set “Puang Mang Kog” for playing the melodic and rhythmic percussion.

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