The Melodious Sounds of Rindik

Thursday, July 19, 2018

By PR Corp Kayumanis

The traditional music that you are most likely to hear during your time on the island of Bali is played on a bamboo xylophone instrument called rindik.

Once considered a form of Balinese folk music, rindik was a favourite pastime for local rice farmers to unwind in between cultivating the land. They would sit in makeshift huts playing whilst also keeping a watchful eye over their fields. This simple instrument has 11 to 13 bamboo keys that are tapped with a rubber-ended mallet to produce distinctive humming sound. 

The rapid growth of Bali’s tourism industry over the course of several decades has resulted in a renewed interest in rindik. It is now commonly heard in hotel lobbies, spas, during romantic dinners and even at weddings receptions all across the island. Typically played by a pair of musicians, the resonating sounds of these bamboo instruments are intended to invoke images of gentle rice terraces cooled by a gentle breeze.