''Gamelan degung'' is a form of
Sundanese musical ensemble
A musical ensemble, also known as a music group, musical group, or a band is a group of people who perform Instrumental music, instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist ...
that uses a subset of modified
gamelan
Gamelan (; ; , ; ) is the traditional musical ensemble, ensemble music of the Javanese people, Javanese, Sundanese people, Sundanese, and Balinese people, Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussion instrument, per ...
instruments with a particular mode of ''
degung'' scale. The instruments are manufactured under local conditions in towns in
West Java
West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...
such as
Bogor
Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide. and
Bandung
Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, the city is the List of Indonesian cities by population, fourth-most populous city and fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabay ...
. ''Degung'' music is often played at public gatherings in West Java, such as at local elections, as well as many other events. There is international interest in ''degung'' as well among communities in other countries interested in Indonesian and gamelan music.
[Dewi Anggraeni]
"Melbourne: Gamelan, elephants and 'Jackpot'"
, ''The Jakarta Post'', 22 February 2004.
Gamelan degung also playable in ''
madenda'' scale, which is included in the set as a complementary tone, usually marked as a -3/''ni'' tone in the set. Playing gamelan degung in this scale requires the substitution of the 3/''na'' metal bars into -3/''ni'' tones on all instruments.
Instruments
The instrumentation of ''gamelan degung'' is quite flexible. It may include:
* ''
Bonang
The bonang is an Music of Indonesia, Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese people, Javanese gamelan. It is a collection of small gongs (sometimes called "kettles" or "pots") placed horizontally onto strings in a wooden frame (''r ...
/kolènang'': two rows of seven small bulbous gongs. It differs from its Javanese counterpart in that the rows are each placed on either side of the player.
* ''
saron
SARON stands for Swiss Average Rate Overnight and is a measurement of the overnight interest rate of the secured funding market denominated in Swiss Franc (CHF). It is based on transactions and quotes posted in the Swiss repo market, and is ad ...
/peking'': a high-pitched bronze metallophone with fourteen keys. Usually, there are two sarons in a single set.
* ''
panerus'': another bronze metallophone, similar to the ''peking'' but pitched an octave lower.
* ''
Jengglong'': six bulbous gongs suspended from the same frame. Could be played like bonang, or hanged.
* ''
goong ageung
The gong ageng (or gong gedhe in Ngoko Javanese language, Javanese, means large gong) is an Music of Indonesia, Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese people, Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese a ...
'': a large gong.
* ''
Pancer: a smaller gong, secondary gong.
* A set of ''
kendang
A ''kendang'' or ''gendang'' (, , , Tausug language, Tausug/Bajau/Maranao language, Maranao: ''gandang'', Buginese language, Bugis: ''gendrang'' and Makassarese language, Makassar: ''gandrang'' or ''ganrang'') is a two-headed drum used by peop ...
'', consisting of one large (''kendang indung'') and two small double-sided drums (''kulantér'').
* ''
Suling
The suling ( Sundanese: ) is a musical instrument of the Sundanese people in Indonesia. It is used in the Degung ensemble. Bamboo ring flute can also be found in Southeast Asia, especially in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sin ...
degung'': a four-holed bamboo flute.
* ''
Suling
The suling ( Sundanese: ) is a musical instrument of the Sundanese people in Indonesia. It is used in the Degung ensemble. Bamboo ring flute can also be found in Southeast Asia, especially in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sin ...
kawih'': a six-holed bamboo flute, interchangeably used with suling degung
* ''
Gambang'': a wooden xylophone.
* ''
Kacapi
The kacapi is a traditional zither of Sundanese people in Indonesia. This musical instrument is similar to Chinese , Japanese '' koto'', the Mongolian , the Korean , the Vietnamese and the Kazakh jetigen. The kacapi played as the main accompa ...
'': a zither.
In classical ''degung'', the ''bonang'' serves as a conductor for the whole ensemble. Except in certain modern compositions, it is rarely absent.
Gallery
File:Closeup of a gong from gamelan degung.jpg, Closeup of a ''bonang'' from ''gamelan degung''
Image:Gamelandegung.jpg, Sundanese ''gamelan degung''
Image:Diajar gamelan degung.jpg, Sundanese students playing ''gamelan degung'' on the street
File: Gamelan indra swara.jpg, ''Gamelan degung'' performed by Indra Swara in Mexico
File:Gamelan indra swara mexico.jpg, ''Gamelan degung'' instruments
File:Gamelan degung barudak grupo Indra Swara Mexico.jpg, ''Bonang
The bonang is an Music of Indonesia, Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese people, Javanese gamelan. It is a collection of small gongs (sometimes called "kettles" or "pots") placed horizontally onto strings in a wooden frame (''r ...
''
See also
*
Gong gede
References
{{Gamelan
Gamelan ensembles and genres
Sundanese music