This type of music is played in military dance ceremonies. The Tay Son Military Music originated in Binh Dinh Province, a place famous for its practice of martial arts.  According to legend, Tay Son military music was composed by three heroes who were farmers named Nguyen Hue. They aimed to use martial arts as a force of revolt. With the set of 17 drums, a player is supposed to use both his palms to hit 12 drums and his head, elbows, and heels to hit the other five. Players who could play the 17 drums effectively were deemed masters of this musical form. Later generations have learned to play this kind of music to worship the three heroes and their followers who sacrificed their lives to sweep out invaders. Tay Son Military Music consists of four items: Troop Dispatching, Military Marching, Troop Stop, and Triumphant Hymn. Tay Son Military Music has become a valued art heritage of the Vietnamese.

The trong com (rice drum) gets its name from the practice of placing a pinch of hot steamed rice in the middle of the drum skin to "tune" the instrument.  The body of the drum is made of wood in a tubular shape with the ends slightly tapered. A string is passed through the holes pierced on the edge of each of its faces and strung across it in a zigzag fashion to regulate its tension. The sound obtained from one face is five tones higher than the other. The sound of the trong com is a little dull, somewhat similar to the large-sizeddan ho, and it is used to express sadness. The trong com is one of the percussion instruments used to accompanytuong or cheo drama. Its use has also spread to cai luong (reformed opera) and other orchestras. The player, when standing, has the trong com slung over his stomach. When sitting he rests his instrument on his lap. He strikes the faces of the drum with his fingers with varied...

Sao is usually used to designate a vertical bamboo flute pierced with finger holes. However, this term is often used by ethnic minorities to describe several woodwind instruments that are quite different in structure (single or double flutes, with or without a reed, with or without finger-holes, etc.) and in how to hold them.  The H’mong sao is a single flute with a reed and a colorful timbre. The H’mong call it tra pun tu. The sounds produced are harsh and sweet like whispers. Since it has been played on stage, the H’mong flute has captured the hearts of many audiences. It is being constantly improved to expand its sound capabilities. The H’mong flute accompanies young H’mong men at work and in love. For them, the flute is an effective way to reach a girl’s heart. Source: https://vietnamtourism.com/