Ranat ek

The ranat ek is a Thai musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of 22 wooden bars suspended by cords over a boat-shaped trough resonator and struck by two mallets. It is used as a leading instrument in the piphat ensemble.

Ranat ek bars are typically made from rosewood (Dalbergia oliveri; Thai: ไม้ชิงชัน, romanized: mai ching chan) and have two types of mallets. The hard mallets create the sharp and bright sound, normally used for faster playing. The soft mallets create the mellow and softer tone, used for slower songs.