Bangu (drum)

The bangu (Chinese: 板鼓; pinyin: bǎngǔ), often simply gu (Chinese: 鼓; pinyin: gǔ), is a Chinese frame drum that, when struck by one or two small bamboo sticks, creates a sharp dry sound essential to the aesthetics of Chinese opera. Striking the drum in different places produces different sounds. It is also used in many Chinese chamber music ensembles. The percussion section is very important in Chinese Opera, with battle or 'martial' scenes, which are called wu-chang. The bangu player is the director or conductor of the orchestra, working with the other members of the percussion section to create the right mood for the audience and actors on stage.