Some of the Filipino ethnic instruments Ayala is known to use include the two-stringed Hegalong of the T'Boli people of Mindanao, the Kubing, the bamboo jaw harp found in various forms throughout the Philippines, and the 8-piece gong set, Kulintang, the melodical gong-rack of the indigenous peoples of the southern part of the country.
The bamboo jaw harp, known as kubing or kumbing is used by various Filipino peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago, and features in various neo-folk songs by artists like Joey Ayala and Grace Nono.