The drum is usually played on its side, resting in the player's lap. It can be tuned very easily by sliding the knots in the leather stringing. Played with a wooden beater in one hand and with the palm and finger tips of the other.

Kendangis a two-headed drum used by peoples from Maritime Southeast Asia.

Kendang is one of the primary instruments used in the Gamelan ensembles of  Java, Bali and Terengganu, the Malay Kendang ensemble as well as various Kulintang ensembles in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. It is constructed in a variety of ways by different ethnic groups.

Among the Javanese, Sundanese, or Malay People, the kendang has one side larger than the other, with the larger, lower-pitched side usually placed to the right, and are usually placed on stands horizontally and hit with the hands one either side while seated on the floor. Among groups like the Balinese, Tausug, or Maranao, both sides are of equal size, and are played on either one or both sides using a combination of hands and/or sticks.

The kendang usually has the function of keeping the tempo and changing irama, and signaling some of the transitions (paralihan) to sections and the end of the piece (suwuk).

Our Balinese drums are made from the traditional jackfruit wood, which is very hard and rather heavy. The heads and strings are made from cowskin by speicalist Balinese drum makers.

Good kendang are said to be made from the wood of jackfruit, coconuts or cempedak. Buffalo hide is often used for the bam (inferior surface which emits low-pitch beats) while goatskin is used for the chang (superior surface which emits high-pitch beats).

The skin is stretched on y-shaped leather or rattan strings, which can be tightened to change the pitch of the heads. The thinner the leather the sharper the sound.

Keep the drums dry and away from extremes of temperature. Don't lift the drums by the strings but instead take the whole weight of the drum in your arms.