How is a Malay Kompang for Weddings priced in Singapore?

Let’s first and foremost cover the basics of what is needed for a Malay Kompang to happen in weddings, in most cases. A Malay Kompang is known for the arrival of someone or a group. Usually an MP, VIPs, or any other delegates. It is a common Malay tradition to welcome special guests. That is why most of us have seen Malay Kompang in weddings most of the time, to welcome the Bride & Groom.

Here are the core operational costs for a Malay Kompang:-

Instruments – Ware and tear
Skills – Conducting training
Manpower – For the event and necessary preparations

The three components must be ticked to ensure the Malay Kompang sounded like what is supposed to sound like. The instruments used must be regularly maintained as the skin of the drum (kompang) is 100% cow’s skin which is specifically treated to create the kompang sound.

Instruments

Today, in Singapore there are a few if not none left of “kompang” makers, so the team will need to source from our neighbour, Malaysia. The closest known kompang maker is at Batu Pahat or Muar which is definitely a kampong district. Don’t get confused with kompang.

This supports the fact that a Malay Kompang representative needs to be there to ensure a good grade of materials used and quality checks so the instrument is in a good expected shape. Hence, the travel cost and whatnots are taken into account for instruments.

Skills

Similar to any other musical instrument, one needs to know how to play it. This is where training sessions are required. It takes a certain commitment from every member to learn how to play the kompang. Here’s a quick thought, have you ever imagined how 10 to 15 individuals play the same instruments that produce a certain rhythm?

The cost in place is training spaces & time. Doesn’t sound much, but this component allows us to see many different styles of Malay Kompang in Singapore!

Manpower

A Malay Kompang in nature requires a certain number of people to achieve the desired impact. Typically between 10-15, each of these people plays a different beat which altogether creates the unique overall Malay Kompang beats. Believe it or not, a Kompang rhythm cant be accomplished with only 2 people playing the kompang drum. It needs at least 3 individuals just to achieve the kompang beats and to accommodate events, 10 to 15 people is ideal for an impactful & fun performance.

A whole entourage typically takes up about 4 hours for the kompang team. Preparation, transportation, individual’s remunerations and safe return of the instrument back to storage.

Case Study

Let’s do a ballpark calculation of what is it like for a one-time wedding event at a single location.
We will list a few costs for each component:-

Instruments wear and tear, probably about S$20
Transport S$200 – typically a coach bus
Manpower – let’s choose 10 people, each average being S$40 = S$400
Misc. training space, attire, etc = S$150
Administrative – S$25

That is probably it, we got a base price of S$785.

However do take note that every team portrays different set-plays, unique and theme that will make the cost differ from what we have estimated, there are many factors contributing to the cost such as skill sets, grades of instruments and many more.

Take-away – Top 3 recommended Malay Kompang Teams in Singapore

So now we have a better idea of what are the costs like, here are the Top 3 Malay Kompang teams in Singapore that ensure reliability, outstanding performance and professionalism. Based on track records, competitions involved, team size and years of operations.