According to statistics data in 2009, the Hmông people in Vietnam had a population of over one million people, making them one of the larger ethnic minorities in northern Vietnam. The Hmông reside mostly in the provinces of Hà Giang and Lào Cai. They have diverse folk music and folksongs. The khèn (or also known as kềnh) is an aerophonic instrument made up of six bamboo tubes of different lengths. These tubes are put through a wooden resonator. The upper part of resonator is small, connecting to another bamboo section that forms a blowing pipe. A small bronze reed is attached at the part put through the wooden resonator on each horizontal bamboo tube. The shortest and the longest bamboo tubes have two parallel reeds, producing unison sound. Pressing holes are outside the resonator. The player covers the pressing hole of the section and then blows air into it to make the reed vibrate and produce sound. Each tube creates a different sound depending on the length and size. The Hmông playing and pressing techniques include clapping, tremolo, and staccato as well as simultaneity, chord, and harmony. Kềnh of the Hmông people is a polyphony instrument with a bit cracked sound. The register of Kềnh is about an octave. The Hmông people blow the Kềnh during entertainment activities, at funerals, or on the way to the market. Traditionally, the instrument is only for men to accompany singing.

Cing kram means bamboo gong. It is an idiophonic instrument, striking branch. Cing kram consists of two parts: a bamboo section and a resonator made of a large bamboo piece. Each Cing kram produces a pitch that corresponds to that of a gong in a bronze gong set of the Ê đê people. The five-tone musical scale of Cing kram set is equivalent to that of the bronze gong set, arranged from low to high under the names of grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, and children. The instrument has a clear sound and can be played at a quick tempo, creating a joyful and bustling atmosphere. When played in an ensemble, many Cing kram are used together, with each player in charge of playing one section. The repertoire of the Cing kram set is the same as that of the bronze gong set. T he player sits in column on the Kpa couch in the communal house. The bamboo section is put on the left hand’s palm. Under each bamboo section is one resonator, which is put upright between the player’s thighs so that one head of the resonator is in close contact with the bamboo section. The right hand of the player holds a stick to strike the bamboo section. When playing, the player’s lefthand thumb is used to keep the instrument section steady and can cover or open the head of the bamboo section to adjust the vibrato