Instruments of the Javanese Gamelan

Gamelan music in Java is characterized by it resonant sound and unique texture. The Gamelan will generally consist of an assortment of gongs of different shapes and sizes. These are the Gong Ageng, the Gong Kenong, and the Gong Kempyang. These gongs and others are joined by many different types of Metallophones and drums to form a Gamelan ensemble.

The Gong Ageng is the largest of the bronze gongs that make up the gamelan. These gongs, along with the other gongs in the Javanese and Balinese traditions, are quite unlike gongs as we know in western music. While gongs and tam-tams of China and Japan (The gongs most comonly used in modern western percussion), the gongs of the Javanese and Balinese traditions are tuned to a specific fixed pitch. 

The gong ageng is specifically used to control the length of rhythmic cycles, as it is always played on the final beat of the rhythmic cycle. 

Here we can see the Kenong. Unlike the ageng, which is played from a hanging vertical position, the kenong are played lying on their side. A full sized gamelan would have enough kenong to be played in either slendero or pelog.

The Gender barung is one of many keyed metallophones that make up a gamelan. The barung is a middle sized gender, and is played with one mallet in each hand, with the fingers muting bars.

The drummers of the gamelan traditions play three drums, with the Kendhang gendihing being the largest. The player uses these drums to control tempo, and to notify players of a change in meter or tempo.   

One of the “Extra” instruments of the gamelan, the Siter is a simple plucked zither that is used to help bring out the shimmering texture of the gamelan.