Gamelan Instruments



Gong Family

Large and medium sized gongs hang on a stand. The largest hanging gong is called Gong Ageng which although is played the least often, is considered to be the most important instrument in the ensemble and marks the beginning and end of pieces and has the lowest pitch of any instrument among the gamelan.

Kenong, Ketuk and Kempyang

These are large and small horizontal kettle gongs, important for delineating the structure of a piece.

Metallophones

Saron Family

There are three types of saron – saron demung, saron barung, saron peking/panerus – seven keyed metallophones. They range in size and pitch from the demung (the largest and lowest pitch) to the saron peking (the smallest and the highest pitch).

Slenthem

Like the saron family, the slenthem is a seven-keyed metallophone. Unlike the saron however, where the keys are placed on top of a resonating trough, the Slenthem keys are suspended over resonators. It is a soft-sounding instrument.

Kendhang (Drums)

The ensemble is led rhythmically by the kendhang player. There are two styles of playing – kendhang kalih, using a large and a small, double-headed drum struck with the hand, and ciblonan, using a mid-sized kendhang ciblon.

 

Elaborating Instruments

The following instruments play elaborations (often improvised) of the basic melody. They are more technically demanding to play than the gongs and metallophones, and with the exception of bonang, will not be generally used in a workshop situation.

Bonang

There are two types of bonang – bonang barung and bonang panerus – with each bonang consisting of 14 horizontally suspended kettle gongs. The bonang panerus is smaller pitched an octave higher than the bonang barung and plays a less important role in the ensemble than the bonang barung.



Gender

Similar in construction to the slenthem, with 14 keys suspended above resonators, like the bonang, there are also two types – barung and panerus.

Rebab

Very often the melodic leader of the ensemble, the only stringed instrument in the ensemble.

 

Gambang

A wooden xylophone-like instrument.

Suling

A set of end-blown bamboo flutes.

Aside from the instruments listed above, there is also a vocal chorus – the Gerong – and solo female vocalist – the Pesindhen, both of which play important roles in the ensemble.