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Musicians

Each society has its own drums. A drumming group includes 6 or 7 tambours, a bass drum player and a bass drum carrier. All the drums play the same rhythms in the pattern of 'ra' and the 'fla' but each group plays in their own way. In Binche, the Gille never walks without a tambour to give rhythm to his dance.

During the 'soumonces' with music and the afternoon processions, the drums are accompanied by a brass band.
There are 26 Gilles melodies in Binche: Air classique des Gilles - Lion de Belgique - Le postillon de Longjumeau – Le Sans souci - Le petit jeune homme de Binche - L’ambulant - Vivent les Bleus - Paysan s’en va - Eloi à Charleroi – Cavalcade - Le juif errant - La classe – Sérénade - Pas de charge - Mère tant pis - Vos arez in aubade – Arlequin - Les d’gins de l’Estène - El doudou - Quand m’grand-mère - Les chasseurs - Trompette des cent gardes - Les marins - Les brigands - Polka marche and Aubade matinale, only played up to daybreak on the morning of Shrove Tuesday.

The viola is another typical instrument involved in Binche folklore, accompanying the youth on Shrove Tuesday as well as small groups on the morning of Shrove Sunday. The viola is a portable barrel organ with a cylinder that operates the keyboard and bellows. This is moved by a handle, called the 'manique'. The viola player is called 'le manniqueu'.

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