Philosophy

Philosophy of Cambodian Music

Cambodian music is highly influence with ancient and Hindu forms.
Classic Cambodian music is generally based on the 5-tone scale unlike the Western style with 7-tone scale.
Strong foreign impact can be seen through instruments like the two string fiddles from china and double headed barrels from India. A lot of these instruments become Cambodia’s influences and regularly they are personally customized to achieve the right tones for Cambodian music. This is done often in the countryside, where resources and technology are limited and which instruments are made by hand. For example, the best drums made in Cambodia are known to be snake skinned drums, where snake skin is literally being put on a over a fire to be thinned then proceeded with applying it onto the drums.
A fact of Cambodian history is that 90% of Cambodia’s artists, singers, musicians, teachers were all killed in the Khmer Rouge War where ‘Pol Pot’ lead, forming Communist peasant farming society killing at least 25% of Cambodia’s population. This was a time era, where it would stay scarred with most Cambodian elders you’ll meet.
Although despite all devastation, Cambodia is very fortunate to stabilize their culture and retain some of the music before the War making it available for people now to listen to. 

Types of Cambodian Music

There are two types of Cambodian music, amvong and amkbach. Ramvong is slow dance music, where khmers perform a special hand and feet dance syncing with the music. Whereas ramkbach is related to thai folk dance, having a traditional perspective of refined slow dancing.Cambodian music flourished in both court and village settings, some associated with specific functions, others with entertainment. In villages weddings are celebrated with kar music, communication with spirits is accompanied by arakk music, and entertainments include ayai repartee singing, chrieng chapey narrative, and yike and basakk theaters. At the court, dance, masked play, shadow play, and religious ceremonies are accompanied by the pinn peat ensemble and entertainment is provided by the mohori ensemble. Temples—urban or rural—often possess a pinn peat ensemble as well, but also a korng skor ensemble for funerals.