How did panpipe music influence vocal melodies in the Solomon Islands?

In the Solomon Islands, vocal melodic style is widely considered to be an imitation of panpipe music. This influence is evident in several key characteristics of the vocal tradition:1

• Melodic Structure: Vocal melodies are defined by a triadic structure and the use of wide melodic leaps, mirroring the patterns found in panpipe performances.1
• Polyphony: The vocal music features elaborate polyphony, often involving simultaneous voice parts that move in parallel thirds or sixths. This practice is likely derived from the technique of overblowing double panpipes, which can produce these parallel intervals automatically.1
• Performance Style: Vocalists frequently change registers and utilize a specific timbre, or tone colour, that mimics the sound of the bamboo instruments.1

Panpipes are central to the musical culture of the Solomon Islands, particularly among the 'Are'are people of Malaita, who maintain a sophisticated, orally transmitted music theory centered on the bamboo from which the instruments are crafted.1