Vietnamese operas always have background music. The traditional instruments used on a cheo san dinh stage include the ho and the nhi, two double stringed instruments; and the sao, a bamboo flute. The percussion also plays a major role and includes a small drum (trong con), large drum (trong cai), the horizontal cylinder-like drum (trong com), gong (thanh la), and the wooden tocsin (mo). The small drum helps to maintain both rhythm in song and dance and a dramatic background to the singing. The old saying, “There’s no Cheo without a drum,” proves the importance of the drum in a Cheo performance. Instruments such as the nhi, combined with a drum set, can make a perfect orchestra. Good drumming can make up for a weak performance. In modern Cheo, other musical instruments enrich the background music. The sixteen-stringed zither (thap luc), hammer dulcimer (tam thap luc), double-stringed lute (nguyet), and the flute (tieu) add their harmonious influences.
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