The orchestra, performed by men only, plays during the funeral ceremony under the direction of the sorcerer to do ceremonial rituals.

The instruments for funeral orchestra often include bell, drum, and cymbals (or gong); for Tay, Nung and Thai people, there are more small cymbals, pi le- double reed instrument, flute and horn; for Muong people, there are more flute and two-stringed fiddle Nhi.

In each ethnic group, the usage and the number of the musical instruments may differ but in general the purpose and the performance are the same. At the beginning of the ceremony or sacred parts, the sorcerer uses bell only.

In some sections which need large sound intensity to wake up the soul to dance and to move coffin to a grave, the whole orchestra is played.