Bali,
bonang barung,
bonang penerus,
Central Java,
cultural heritage,
Culture,
demung,
Gamelan,
Indonesia,
saron,
slenthem,
Traditional Music Instrument,
unique,
Yogyakarta
Gamelan is a musical instrument heritage since the time of Majapahit kingdom (a kingdom that once ruled Indonesia). Evidence that gamelan has been used in the past is the discovery of the reliefs which is resemble Gamelan musical instruments at Borobudur. Gamelan is usually used to accompany the traditional dance show. Gamelan has its own tone as well as on modern musical instruments like piano and guitar. If the tone of modern instruments is "do re mi fa sol la si", gamelan have a little difference in his tone. Tone on gamelan divided into two kinds, that is laras slendro and pelog. Laras slendro has five tones per octave, that is "1 (ji) 2 (ro) 3 (lu) 5 (mo) 6 (nem)". A little similar to modern instruments, laras pelog has 7 tones for each octave, that is "1 (ji) 2 (ro) 3 (lu) 4 (pat) 5 (mo) 6 (nem) 7 (tu)".
The name of Gamelan comes from the Javanese, from basic word "Gamel" meaning hit, ending -an in Gamel(an) gives meaning as noun. Art plays gamelan instruments known as karawitan. An art that combines the harmony of several music instruments in the gamelan. Instrument Gamelan consists of Kendang, Bonang Barung, Bonang Penerus, Saron, Demung, Gong, Kenong, Gambang, Slenthem, Suling, and Kempul. Here is an explanation of the instrument Gamelan briefly.
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Javanese Gamelan
image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Traditional_indonesian_instruments02.jpg/800px-Traditional_indonesian_instruments02.jpg |
Kendang: a musical instruments which arranged on the stem and the sufaces made from a buffalo skin. The function of Kendang is to regulating the rhythm. How to play it is hit with the palm of the hand.
Bonang Barung: is a musical instrument which has medium to high tone. Function of Bonang Barung is to guide the flow of the song.
Bonang Penerus: Bonang Penerus and barung make a collaboration to give a pattern songs
Saron: This tool is made from metal molded a bit thicker rectangular and assembled in one place. How to play by hitting according to the tune with the wood that has been formed like hammer. In one package gamelan, Saron consists of four instruments that have two kinds tone (laras pelog and laras slendro).
Demung: shape, paddle, and how to play is resemble with Sharon. Which makes different is the metal rectangular is thinner and larger.
Gong: musical instrument which has the biggest size from the others, made by metal type, the shape is resembles a large bowl with a closed surface and slightly bulging in the middle.
Kenong: the shape is resembles a gong with a smaller size. Hit the Kenong with wood that has been wrapped by a fabric in the one of tip to play them. Kenong serves as a determinant of boundaries and assert the rhythm.
Slenthem: the shape like the thin metal sheets stretched and strung with ropes, arranged above the tube. In one set of Gamelan, Slenthem also consists of two versions of a tone (slendro and barrel pelog).
Gambang: this instrument consists of 18 slats of bamboo, to play just enough hit according to the tone.
Suling (flute): a wind instrument made of small bamboo and have a hole for producing a sound producing.
Kempul: the shaped like gong and kenong, usually strung into a single device along with Gong.
Several gamelan instrument above is enough to produce a beautiful musical arts. All the instruments are played together in harmony. Developments of Gamelan in Indonesian make Gamelan consists of several types that is Gamelan from Bali, Sunda, and Central Java. Gamelan is often played in the marquee of Yogyakarta's Kraton.
