Eight-tone drum (pinyin: Bā yīn gǔ), also known as the Eight Immortals Drum. Popular in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guixi Longlin Autonomous County, Xilin County and the border of Guizhou and Guizhou. It is the Zhuang and Gelao musical instruments. Named for its use in the folk instrumental ensemble eight bands. The Zhuang language is called Zhongyi, which means smaller drum.
The Eight Music Team of the Gelao is called the Eight Immortals Band, so the eight-tone drum is called the Eight Immortals in the Gelao. This is a small hand drum with a handle. The drum body is flat and round. It is made of miscellaneous wood. It is better to use a section of kapok tree and hollow out the inner cavity of the log. The size of the drum varies from 13.5 cm to 26 cm in diameter, the height of the drum frame is 5.7 cm to 11 cm, and the wall thickness of the frame is 1.3 cm to 1.5 cm. Both ends are covered with cowhide, sheepskin or thin wood. For the wooden surface, the thickness of the board should not exceed 0.4 cm; for the leather surface, the drum skin should be fixed and tightened with bamboo nails. There is a small iron ring on one side of the drum frame, on which a colored cloth strip or drum rope is tied, and a sound hole with a diameter of 1 cm is drilled on the other side. A drum handle made of thick lead wire is placed on one side of the drum frame. The outer surface of the drum body is painted with red lacquer and painted with gold traces.
When playing, the left hand holds the drum rope, cloth strip or drum handle and lifts it up, and the right hand holds a small wooden hoist to strike. Playing methods include click and roll, etc., and the sound is soft. It is mainly used in the folk instrumental ensemble Ba Yin (also known as the Eight Immortals) and the accompaniment of Zhuang Opera. Each Eight Music Team, Eight Immortals Band or Zhuang Opera accompaniment band must use one side of the eight-tone drum, which is an inseparable rhythmic instrument in Zhuang, Gelao festivals, weddings and other festive occasions.