FOUR REGIONAL FOLKSONGS FOR GUITAR DUET: A STUDY OF ARRANGEMENT AND TECHNIQUES FOR CLASSICAL GUITAR

Abstract

Creative works in music, sprung from the idea of cross-cultural integration, usually herald musical novelty, ensuing significant commercial potential. The idea is that distinctive cultural regions of Thailand, including the northern, central, north-eastern, and southern areas, are open subjects for creativity. This article aims to explicate the creation of musical arrangements of four regional folksongs—involving Ruesiloungtam, Lakuduwo, No-nay, and Laiponglang—for guitar duet, on which the classical guitar is focused. The ideas gathered were collected from the interviews of four experts, aiming to initialise the creative thoughts for guitar arrangements. Then, the interviews were transcribed into texts using VB-CABLE Virtual Audio Device software before their being subsequently analysed, benefitting the work. Ruesiloungtam was arranged in the classical guitar style by using the contrapuntal technique. Lakuduwo was distinguished by adding a variety of sophisticated rhythmic bass lines to imitate the syncopated patterns of southern drums. Moving further to the variations, the duet comes to an incessant fight against each other and finally resolves in pleasant harmony. No-nay, despite its simple melody, was musically designed to implement complex arpeggiation techniques, akin to those in the classical period, to support the melody. Finally, Laiponglang involves the new melodic composition that imitates the sounds of the Pin Isaan and the Khaen, in effect, to imbue listeners with an engaging experience of Isaan folk music through the art of the classical guitar.