Gamelan

Hi Guys...

Today i'm very happy because i learn something new about gamelan. Actually i dont know what is it gamelan and i think if gamelan best or not. When i enter this class, its very amazing because i can learn and see all instrument about gamelan. so as usual, i want share with u all about gamelan. Hope you all enjoys with it.

 

 

 

Gamelan music is an integral part of all cultural activities in Java such as wayang kulit (leather puppets) performance, court dance, uyon-uyon (symphony orchestra performance), etc. There are two kinds of laras (tuning) in gamelan, namely slendro (comparable to minor key in Western music) and Pelog (major key). A complete set of gamelan consist of two sets of different instruments of Slendro and Pelog, such as:

1. Kendang (double ended drum beaten by hands)
   It is a leading instrument. The pengendang (drumer) is the conductor of the gamelan orchestra. There are five (5) different sizes of kendang from 20 cm to 45 cm.
   
2. Saron
   A glockenspiel with bronze bar struck with wooden mallet. There are three kinds; Saron Barung, Saron Peking, Saron Demung.
   
3. Bonang Barung
   A double row of bronze kettles resting on a horizontal frame, played with two long stick bound with red cord at the striking end.
4. Bonang Penerus
   
5. Slentem
   Thin bronze bars suspended over bamboo resonating chambers, struck with a padded disc on the end of a stick.
6. Gender
   Similar to slentem with more bronze keys and smaller bamboo chamber, struck with two disc-shaped hammers.
   
7. Gambang
   Wooden bars laid over a wooden frame struck with two sticks of supple buffalo horn, ending with a small, round, padded disc.
8. Gong
   Each slendro and pelog set had three gongs. Two big gongs (Gong Ageng) and one gong Suwukan about 90 cm, made from bronze, suspended on a wooden frame. It marks the end of the largest phrase of the melody.
   
9. Kempul
   Smaller gongs, marks a smaller phrase. In each slendro and pelog set, there are 6 (six) or 10 (ten) kempuls.
10. Kenong
    Smaller gongs lay horizontally on crossed cord, inside a wooden frame. A complete set of kenong in each slendro and pelog consist of 10 (ten) kenongs.
    
11. Ketug
    The kenong player also plays it smaller kenong, marks subdivisions of phrases.
12. Clempung
    A string instrument, each slendro and pelog set needs one clempung.
13. Siter
    Smaller cemplung, each slendro and pelog set needs one siter
    
14. Suling
    It is a flute, each slendro and pelog set, needs one suling.
15. Rebab
    A two stringed viol, the same as slendro and pelog.
16. Keprak and Kepyak
    Needed for gamelan to accompany dances.
17. Bedug
    It is a very big drum.
    

The bars of the gamelan instruments can be made either from iron, copper or bronze. The bronze bars are the best choice. All the gamelan players are sitting cross-legged on a mat during a performance.
In a gamelan music concert or karawitan performance, the Kendang player or pengendang conducts the Tempo, while the melody is led by the bonang player The gamelan orchestra includes some singers (Pesinden), female as well as male.   For me after i know what is it gamelan, i want learn more about it because it is very interesting. i hope i can do and play much better all intruments related with gamelan.  :)