Indonesian Gamelan Music
Gamelan is a generic term for a set of instruments consisting primarily of tuned gongs and metallophones. Vocals can be included too.
There are two main gamelan traditions – Central Java and Bali.
Both Javanese and Balinese gamelan share certain fundamental principles. These include the tuning systems, cyclical time structures and texture.
Gamelan music can be performed on its own or as an accompaniment to art forms such as dance and drama. In Java and Bali, it is commonly performed for ritual celebrations such as wedding and other ceremonies.
Tuning Systems
Tuning systems refer to the mode or collection of different pitches or tones that are used to tune the instruments. There are two tuning systems used in Gamelan music: the 7-tone Pelog and 5-tone Slendro. The main difference lies in the intervals
between the tones, rather than the number of tones. Slendro is made up of five tones approximately equal-interval apart; Pelog is of seven tones with unequal-intervals between them.
When using them in performances - it is rare that all seven tones are engaged/used in a piece in Pelog mode. Traditional Gamelan music often uses only five tones, so it is often perceived as pentatonic in nature.
The tones of the slendro and pelog tuning systems are not absolute since different gamelan sets would have slightly different tunings either in pitch or in intervallic structure. These variations in tuning systems are desirable and valued in the tradition since a specific tuning helps give a particular gamelan ensemble its identity.
In Bali, the instruments are further tuned in pairs – just slightly apart such that when these instruments are played simultaneously, they create a characteristic pulsating acoustic ‘beats’, resulting in a shimmering sound quality.
Structure
A gamelan piece comprises a basic melody that is repeated in cycles throughout the performance. The largest hanging gong marks the start as well as the end of each cycle [Colotomic]. Thus, each melodic cycle will coincide with each gong cycle. The gong cycle may be played a number of times depending on the drummer and the context of the performance. The length of a gong cycle and the combination of gong strikes in each cycle varies across art forms and the context of the performances. Texture
Gamelan music is characterised by the rhythmic layering of melodic lines
[Polyrhythmic Stratification]. The music is also characterised by using only one basic melody which is realised simultaneously by multiple voices/instrumental parts. Each part plays the same melody differently, simultaneously [Heterophony].
Polyphonic Stratification – a marriage of the polyrhythmic and heterophonic texture. In general, the larger and lower pitched instruments play less notes (slower melodic movement); the higher pitch instruments play faster and more notes.
Javanese Tradition Balinese Tradition Qualities & Features Role of the Gamelan Instruments
A. Nuclear Theme (Main Melody) 1. Saron Demung
2. Saron Barung 3. Saron Panerus 4. Slenthem
Upper: Ugal
Lower: Jegogan, Calung
Metallophones B. Elaborating Melody 1. Bonang Barung 2. Bonang Panerus 3. Gambang 4. Gender Barung 5. Gender Panerus 6. Siter Gangsa:
Kantilan, Pemade, Ugal Reyong Trompong Metallophones Xylophones Chordophone Craddled-knobbed gongs C. Counter-Melody 1. Rebab 2. Suling 3. Vocal
Same String (2-string bowed fiddle) Wind (end-blown flute) Voice (Male/Female) D. Punctuation (The Time Markers)
1. Gong Ageng 2. Kempul 3. Kempyang 4. Kenong 5. Kethuk Gong Kempur Klentong Kethuk
Definite (pitched) flat gongs Indefinite (unpitched) flat gongs Hanging/suspended flat gongs Cradled/Knobbed/Bossed gongs Deep rim / Shallow rim
E. Rhythm 1. Kendhang Gending 2. Kendhang Ketipung Kendhang Cengceng (Cymbals) Double-headed drums Cylindrical / Barrel drums Specific Features:
Kendhang Kendhang (rhythmic) / Ugal (melodic)
Leader Traditionally for Royalty Ritualistic
Accompany dance / drama
Performance Context Mellower tone quality
(set of tuned hanging gongs)
Bright, Brilliant tone Use of different mallets Irama: structural concept of
tempo and melodic density relationship changes (between pulse of
elaborating and basic beat in gong structure).
Frequent changes in Tempos & Dynamics (according to dance / drama)
Use of sudden starts and stops in music (Angsel)
Features in the music
Buka: Opening melody usually introduced by the Bonang Barung.
Balungan: Basic melody on which the structural cycle is built.
Use of interlocking rhythms (Kotekan): short fast and virtuosic melodic/rhythmic patterns played
simultaneously to create a complete musical phrase.
Javanese Gamelan Instruments *Metallophones
The Saron instruments, together with the Gender instruments, usually play the melody part.
The Demung
The demung is the largest and lowest of the saron. It is played with a
hammer with a wooden head.
The Saron
The saron (also known as saron barung) is somewhat smaller than the demung. Its bars sound an octave higher than those of the demung.
The Peking
The peking (also known as the saron panerus) is small and plays high notes (an octave higher than the saron).
The Gender instruments usually play the elaboration part to enrich the melody, with the expection of the Slentem.
The Slentem
The Slentem usually plays the main melody, along with the Saron instruments
Gender Barung
Gender Barung has the middle-sized metal bars in the Gender family. Gender Barung is pitched an octave lower than Gender Panerus
Gender Panerus
Gender Panerus is pitched an octave higher than Gender Barung.
*Drums
Drums play an important part in a gamelan. The function of the drums is to play the rhythm part. In fact, the drummer is usually the leader of the whole gamelan.
Kendang
There are usually three to four Kendangs in a gamelan. Usually the drums has a relatively easy part with a few strokes and
uncomplicated rhythm.
*Gongs
The Cradled-knobbed Gongs
Bonang Barung & Bonang Panerus Each gong has a different pitch. All Bonangs can be divided into two main groups: Bonang Barung and Bonang Panerus. These two groups of bonang are actually similar to each other, except Bonang Panerus sounded one octave higher then Bonang Barung.
Kenong
Kenongs are considered higher-pitched gongs compared to kempul.
Kethuk & Kempyang There is a set of one Kethuk and one Kempyang in each gamelan. In some
compositions, Kethuk alone is used. However, Kempyang is never played without the Kethuk. A Kempyang sounds higher pitch then a Kethuk.
The Hanging Gongs Kempul
Kempul produces a high pitch than Gong Ageng. The sizes of Kempul are different too. Different sizes of Kempul produce different pitches. The smaller size produces the higher pitch, and the larger produces the lower pitch.
Gong Ageng
It is the lowest-pitched gong in the gamelan. Usually there will be at least one Gong Ageng, and it is usually hang at the back of the gamelan.
Non-metallophone Instruments Siter
Siter is another instrument that play the elaborations of the melody.
Gambang
The Gambang usually play the fastest part in the gamelan.
Suling
The Suling is a bamboo flute. There are two types of sulings with different tuning system, pelog and slendro. With its different color of sound, it provides one of the most expressive lines in the
ensemble. Compared to other counter-melody instruments, its musical phrases is short and disjointed, rather than as a continuous line.
Rebab
Rebab is a two-string fiddle that is bowed. (Fretless)
Gamelan music is in polyphonic stratification structure. It means the music are composed by layers of simple melody lines or rhythm patterns. There are five layers in this polyphonic stratification:
1. Nuclear Theme 2. Elaboration 3. Punctuation 4. Counter-Melody 5. Rhythm
In Javanese gamelan, the Metallophones usually play the melody part. Generally, the metallophones are a kind of "xylophone" with metal bars. The Metallophone family is basically divided into two groups:
Saron and Gender family.
The Saron instruments include: Saron Demung, Saron Barun and the Saron Panerus.
The Gender family is further divided into 2 groups.They are the Slentem and the Gender.
There are two types of gongs in Javanese gamelan, refer to the way in which the gongs are supported:
Balinese Gamelan (in brief)
Balinese Gamelan music is very similar to Javanese Gamelan music. The music is in cycle too, however, it is usually faster. One of the characteristic of Balinese gamelan music is that, it has a lot of sudden changes in tempo and dynamics. However, there are more metallophones than gongs in Balinese gamelan. The metal keys in
Balinese metallophones are thicker than those of Javanese. These Balinese metallophones produce very bright sound. Another characteristic of Balinese
Gamelan music is the use of cymbals. These cymbals create fast rattling sound that usually cannot be found in Javanese Gamelan music.
A popular gamelan music is the gamelan gong kebyar. Gong Kebyar is a Balinese orchestra consisting of bronze gongs, gong chimes, metallophones and a pair of double-headed drums. Usually, around twenty-five players are needed for a
complete orchestra. Gong kebyar is popular since the 20th century, characterised by loud and explosive sounds and tuned to pelog where only five of the seven tones are used.
Like Javanese gamelan music, Balinese gamelan music is a percussion-dominated musical ensemble. It is also known as a gong-chime musical ensemble. This musical ensemble consists of bronze gongs, metallophones, cymbals, and a time-beater. In Balinese Gamelan, there are more metallophones than gongs.
Balinese Gamelan music is also in Colotomic cycle. The cycles are shorter than Javanese and will be repeated over and over, until the drummer give a signer to end the performance.
Balinese music emphasis on interlocking. Usually, different groups of player play different short melody/rhythm pattern simultaneously to create a complete musical phrase.
Instruments http://remus.shidler.hawaii.edu/gamelan/baliinst.htm#KANT http://balibeyond.com/gamelaninstruments.html Metallophones: Jegog High Jegog Low Calung High Calung Low Penyacah High Penyacah Low Ugal Pemade High Pemade Low Kantilan High Kantilan Low
5 to 10 suspended keys/bars over a trough resonator.
Knobbed craddled (tuned) gong sets: Trompong (10 gongs) Reyong (12 gongs) Gongs: Wadon Lanang Kempur Klentong Drums: Kendang High Kendang Low Cymbals:
Ceng Ceng - Six small bronze cymbals mounted on the back of a wooden sculpture of a turtle upside down and played with two held in the hands.
Ceng Ceng Kopyak - Pairs of large heavy bronze cymbals used mostly for processional music.
kadjar
