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Gamelan degung
Indonesian traditional musical instruments From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gamelan degung is a form of Sundanese musical ensemble that uses a subset of modified gamelan instruments with a particular mode of degung scale. The instruments are manufactured under local conditions in towns in West Java such as Bogor and Bandung.[1] Degung music is often played at public gatherings in West Java, such as at local elections, as well as many other events.[2] There is international interest in degung as well among communities in other countries interested in Indonesian and gamelan music.[3]
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.
Gamelan tuning use its da/1 note as the reference. The tuning of a degung set should match with common suling tunings. A suling usually sold based on the length of the tube, such as 56 cm, 54 cm, etc. Shorter tube has higher base note. A 56 cm suling corresponds with da/1≈G.
| Degung | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Madenda | 5 | 4 | -3 | 2 | 1 | |
| reading | la | ti | na | ni | mi | da |
| surupan 56 | B | C | D | E | F# | G |
| surupan 54 | A# | B | C# | D# | E# | F# |
| surupan 52 | A | Bb | C | D | E | F |
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Instruments
The instrumentation of gamelan degung is quite flexible. It may include:
- bonang/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/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: a large gong.
- pancer: a smaller gong, secondary gong.
- A set of kendang, consisting of one large (kendang indung) and two small double-sided drums (kulantér).
- suling degung: a four-holed bamboo flute.
- suling kawih: a six-holed bamboo flute, interchangeably used with suling degung
- gambang: a wooden xylophone.
- kacapi: a zither.
In classical degung, the bonang serves as a conductor for the whole ensemble. Except in certain modern compositions, it is rarely absent.
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Gallery
Closeup of a bonang from gamelan degung
Sundanese gamelan degung
Sundanese students playing gamelan degung on the street
Gamelan degung performed by Indra Swara in Mexico
Gamelan degung instruments
See also
References
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