Tup Accompanying Shadow Puppet

Abstract

This article aimed to study how to play Tup for accompanying the Shadow Puppet Show, the performing art of southern Thai people since ancient times. For things reflected in the show, the shadow puppet performer will insinuate the wisdom, point of view, culture, and Buddhist doctrine into the show. The music band accompanying the shadow puppet show is Piphat Chatree Orchestra. Music instruments playing in the orchestra consist of Tup, Tuk drum, Sopranino oboe, Mong, and Small cymbals. At present, the shadow puppet performers commonly use universal musical instruments to accompany, for example, the organ, saxophone, or guitar. The music accompanying the shadow puppet show has various types: altogether playing music instruments, playing music instruments accompanying the dubbing, playing music instruments accompanying the narration, playing music instruments accompanying the gesture of the shadow puppet characters, and playing musical instruments accompanying specific roles. Songs used in accompanying the shadow puppet show are divided into two styles. The first is “Tup song,” mainly using the rhythm and melody in percussing Tup. The second is “Pee songs,” mainly using the pipe melody. Traditional Thai songs are mainly played such as Pudcha, Lao Krasae, and Nok Sai Bin Kham Tung.
Na Tup accompanies the shadow puppet show by beginning with the overture. Then it accompanies playing Ruesi (the hermit character), playing the God Siva character, playing Na Bot, showing the character to tell the brief story, Kaew Jor (singing a short Thai verse), and story narration. The vital characteristic of Na Tup accompanying the overture is called “Hua Tup” (the way to begin the song) and “Bak Rhythm” (melody to link the rhythm). After that, it will keep playing using the melody of “Samer Kruang,” or called the Damnoen melody. However,
the playing can be flexible following the time and conditions of each show. The music players can use Na Tup techniques based on their capacity.