The Sasando musical instrument is native to Tanah Rote, East Nusa Tenggara Province. The Rote people usually call it "Sasandu" which means a vibrating or sounded device. In the Kupang language, it is often called "Sasando", a stringed instrument that is plucked by the player’s fingers.

Sasando is uniquely shaped in the form of a long tube made of special bamboo. At the bottom part there is a tool to adjust the tension of the strings.

In the middle, there is a senda or buffer and the strings can be stretched. The function of this senda is to set the tone and each pluck can produce a different tone.

There are two types of Sasando musical instruments, namely the traditional and electric Sasando.

The traditional Sasando is the original form of Sasando which is played without any electronic assistance such as an amplifier. While the electric Sasando is played with the help of electronic instruments and is usually used in modern performances or on big stages.

The number of strings was originally 7, which then changed to 9 and 10. Now there are 28, 56 and even 84 strings.

Based on the sounds produced, Sasando can be divided into several types. There are the Double Sasando, Angkel Sasando, Gong Sasando, and Violin Sasando.