Indonesian Gamelan Music Flashcards
Gamelan Translation
ensemble
Gamel
to hammer
Characteristics of Javanese Gamelan Music
Accompanies rituals, religious activities, and Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet theater).
Involves a significant level of improvisation, following traditional types
Characteristics of Balinese Gamela
Also accompanies rituals, religious events, and Wayang Kulit.
Compositions are typically strictly composed without improvisation.
Peleg
- seven tone scale
- less common
Slendro
A five-tone scale that also features prominently.
Selisir
most-common five-note scale
Which gong is the most important
The large, raised-boss gong is often considered the most crucial instrument, marking the start of each phrase.
Kemanak
banana-shaped idiophone used in Javanese gamelan, made of bronze/ Flat metal discs played with a mallet.
Kendang
two-sided drum, played on its side. This player acts as the
conductor of the ensemble.
Gangsa
A metallophone with bronze bars played using a hammer-type mallet; it’s a primary melodic instrument.
- one hand mutes the bars
How is the gangsa typically played (in terms of technique)
Typically 8 players, divided two groups of four (one octave apart), but each
pair is tuned 4-6hz apart.
Ugal
a bronze metallophone played one handed with a small hammer, often in a dance-like manner
- sounds one octave later
Gender
very similar to gangsa, bronze bars over resonators, played with a disc
shaped mallet.
- In certain styles, it is played with two mallets
Gender Barung
a slower
style, but the player uses two mallets and is often playing contrapuntally
tuned in pairs. The pairs are
tuned to be 4-6Hz apart, which is how the Balinese gamelan create the
shimmering sound