Music of the hsaing waing is characterized by its lively and sudden contrasts and shifts in rhythm, melody and tempo.[3][4] Anyeint dance performances, as well as nat gadaw and marionette puppet performances, are accompanied by the music of the hsaing waing, with the sudden shifts in musical rhythm reflected in the dancer's changing poses.[3] However, classical singing, derived from royal chamber music, is almost exclusively accompanied by either a classical ensemble or a single saung gauk.
Although the origins of the hsaing waing are unclear, the earliest pictoral evidence dates to the 17th century, coinciding with the Burmese invasion of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which may have brought back the concept of the gong and drum ensemble, although the hsaing waing differs greatly in its diversity of instruments and musical style from Thai ensembles