A pin peat ensemble usually has between nine and twelve musicians. The most important melodic instrument is the roneat ek - a wooden xylophone with bamboo keys, played with padded mallets. The musician hits the bars very fast, in rippling runs that create the shimmer the music is famous for.
Alongside the roneat ek are several other instruments: a larger xylophone called the roneat thung, a circular frame of gongs called a kong vong, an oboe-like instrument called a sralai, and drums including the samphor and skor thom. Together they create a layered, interlocking sound - no one instrument plays the complete melody.
The music follows very specific patterns called 'modes', each of which is used for a different occasion. Some modes are for joyful processions, some for solemn ceremonies, some for stories about the Buddha and some for battle scenes in classical dance. Knowing which mode to use is part of a musician's training.
Pin peat music is taught orally - by listening and repeating, rather than from written music. Students sit next to their teacher and copy what they play. Because of this, the music varies slightly between teachers and regions, keeping the tradition alive and local.