Gamelan

Question 1

Where does Gamelan originate from?

Answer 1

Central Java, Bali and West Java

Question 2

Where/when are Gamelans played?

Answer 2

Gamelan music is played at celebrations (birth, marriage and death) and wayang kulit (shadow-puppet play) events. It also accompanies dance, drama and poetry performances.

Question 3

Describe the Kendhang

Answer 3

The Kendhang is made of wood shaped into a tapering cylinder and hollow out the middle. It is a double-headed drum with 2 leather heads laced with a barrel-shaped modern frame

Question 4

How is the Kendhang played?

Answer 4

The Kendhang is played with 2 bare hands or a stick in the right hand and bare on the left.

Question 5

Describe the Bonang

Answer 5

The Bonang is made up of 10, 12 or 14 kettle gongs resting horizontally in 2 horizontal rows on a wooden frame.

Question 6

How is the Bonang played?

Answer 6

The Bonang is played with 2 padded stick beaters.

Question 7

Describe the Gong Ageng

Answer 7

The Gong Ageng is the largest hanging Gong. It is suspended vertically on a wooden frame and is close to 1 meter in diameter. There are 1-2 Gong Agengs in the Gamelan. It is used to mark the end of a cycle.

Question 8

How is the Gong Ageng played?

Answer 8

The Gong Ageng is played with a round padded mallet.

Question 9

Describe the Kethuk

Answer 9

The Kethuk is a kettle gong with a flat surface around the central boss.

Question 10

How is the Kethuk played?

Answer 10

The Kethuk is played with a padded stick beater.

Question 11

Descrube the Saron

Answer 11

The Saron is made of 6-7 thick metal keys resting over a through resonator.

Question 12

What is different in the way the Saron Barung and the Saron Panerus is played?

Answer 12

The Saron Barung is struck with a wooden mallet then damped with fingers while the Saron Panerus is struck with a water buffalo horn mallet then damped with fingers.

Question 13

Describe the Gender Barung

Answer 13

The Gender Barung is made of thirteen or fourteen thick metal keys, suspended over cylindrical resonators.

Question 14

How is the Gender Barung played?

Answer 14

The Gender Barung is played with 2 padded disc mallets.

Question 15

Describe the Gender Palembung

Answer 15

The Gender Palembung is made of 7-7 thick metal keys suspended by strings over cylindrical resonators made of bamboo or metal

Question 16

How is the Gender Palembung played?

Answer 16

The Gender Palembung is played with 1 padded disc mallet.

Question 17

Describe the Rebab

Answer 17

The Rebab is a 2 string spiked fiddle. It has a wide wooden bridge and no fingerboard. It has a wooden sound box with fine stretched skin.

Question 18

How is the rebab played?

Answer 18

The rebab is played with a bow. The player sits cross-legged on the floor and stands the Rebab in front of him.

Question 19

Describe the Suling

Answer 19

The Suling is a end blown bamboo flue. It comes in various sizes

Question 20

How is the Suling played?

Answer 20

The Suling is held vertically when blown.

Question 21

Describe the Celempung

Answer 21

The Celempung is a zither with 4 legs. It has 20-26 metal strings in double courses.

Question 22

How is the Celepung played?

Answer 22

The Celempung is plucked with fingernails.

Question 23

Describe the Gambang

Answer 23

The Gambang is a rectangular xylophone with a bo resonator. It has 20 long rectangular teakwood bars

Question 24

How is the Gambang played?

Answer 24

The Gambang is played in parallel octaves with 2 flexible mallets with disc-shaped ends wrapped in felt.