Interestingly, this Javanese musical instrument has gone international.
Javanese musical instrument still exists in the midst of the development of modern music. Javanese traditional musical instruments are still in great demand by the public. Interestingly, this Javanese musical instrument has gone international. Indonesia is known for having various tribes, languages, cultures, traditional clothing and also a diversity of traditional musical instruments. The cultural wealth of the Indonesian people is no doubt. In fact, each traditional musical instrument has its own uniqueness which is passed down from generations of ancestors to the next generation.
This time Dream will review the diversity of Javanese musical instruments, ranging from West Java, Central Java to East Java which consists of many kinds. For Sahabat Dream who wants to know the diversity and uniqueness of Javanese musical instruments, let us consider the following explanation.
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West Java musical instrument
West Java has a variety of distinctive traditional musical instruments. There are 12 musical instruments typical of West Java. But this time Dream will only discuss a few. The first musical instrument from West Java is Angklung. This instrument is a typical musical instrument of West Java made of bamboo arranged neatly. Angklung musical instruments will provide double-pitched instruments.
The way to play the angklung instrument is by shaking it. Angklung sound has a characteristic produced from the impact of bamboo. Angklung has been named as one of the world’s cultural heritage by Unesco with the category of Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The second typical musical instrument of West Java is Suling. Suling is a traditional West Javanese musical instrument made of bamboo. This instrument is very popular among the people of Indonesia, especially Java.
Even Suling has been modified into one of the more modern musical instruments. In Sundanese culture, Suling is made of bamboo which has 4 to 6 holes to arrange each note. The way to play it is by blowing. The third musical instrument from West Java is Jenglong. This instrument is made of wood and iron metal, it can also be made of brass which is arranged and tied using a rope. Jenglong can provide the basic song framework and tone for an art performance. In addition to the three musical instruments, West Java still has many other instruments, such as Arumba, Tarawangsa, Kecapi, Calung, Celembung, Jentreng, Jenglong, Rebab, and Karinding.
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Typical Musical Instrument of Central Java
Central Java has many traditional musical instruments that are still preserved. Here are 5 musical instruments typical of Central Java. The first is Kendang, also known as Gendang, is a traditional Javanese gamelan instrument used to adjust the tempo of the song. Drum made of buffalo skin, rattan rope, jackfruit wood, cempedak tree or coconut trees. The way to play the Drum is by beating or slapping it with your palm.
The second typical musical instrument of Central Java is Gambang, a traditional musical instrument that is played by beating. The xylophone consists of 18 bamboo blades which are struck with a special bat. The function of the xylophone is to accompany songs, one of which is in the art of xylophone Kromong. The third musical instrument typical of Central Java is Gong, made of copper and lead which is played by being hit. In gamelan art, Gong becomes the main element to realize a complete combination of traditional musical instruments.
Fourth, Bonang, which is a musical instrument played by beating or beating. The bat is called bindhi. Bonang is made of iron, bronze or brass which has a prominent shape at the top called pencu or pencon. The fifth is a traditional flute made of bamboo with holes to adjust the tone. Flute becomes a complementary musical instrument in a Gamelan artistry. In addition to the five musical instruments above, Central Java still has a unique musical instrument in the form of Slenthem, Saron, Gender, Kenong, Demung, Kempul, and Siter.
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Typical Musical Instrument of East Java
Besides being famous for tourist destinations, East Java also has a diversity of traditional and unique musical instruments. Musical instruments in the blood of Java do have many similarities in each province. The first musical instrument from East Java is Angklung Caruk, a musical instrument from Banyuwangi made from bamboo. One angklung caruk only produces one note, so if you want to produce a variety of angklung caruk tones must be played in groups.
Angklung Reyog, a unique musical instrument from Ponorogo, is used to accompany Reyog Ponorogo performing arts. The shape is the same as angklung from West Java. But the difference is reyog angklung decorated with a series of red and yellow ropes. The sound it produces is also louder than the Javanese angklung
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Typical East Java Musical Instruments Next
Kempul, a musical instrument that was played in the Jaranan Santherewe event. Kempul is made of brass and wood as a place for putty. How to play it with a hit like bonang. The Kempul musical instrument is visually sculpted on the reliefs of the Panataran temple in Blitar. Kethuk Estri, a traditional musical instrument made of brass which is similar in shape to Gong but small in size. In playing Esth Kethuk is usually played in a set consisting of Esth Kethuk and Jaler Kethuk. But the tone produced by Kethuk Jaler is higher than Kethuk Estri.
Ketipung, a popular musical instrument in Indonesia, is played to accompany dangdut music whose voice is very prominent. Ketipung is similar to the drum, but how to play it is tapped on the vertical position, while the drum is tapped on the horizontal position. Teromper Reyog, musical instrument accompanying Reyog Ponorogo performed by blown. This instrument is made of wood, bamboo and coconut shell. A musical instrument that is also similar to the Reyog trumpet is Saronen, which is a wind instrument that was originally brought by Sunan Kudus’s great-grandchildren as a propaganda media to embrace Islam.
Saronen is made of teak wood which is given six holes in a row and one hole in the back and there is a small ring made of metal to connect the bottom with the top made of siwalan leaves. Apart from those already mentioned, Java still has many distinctive musical instruments that are developed and preserved by the community. Even school children are planted to learn a variety of traditional musical instruments so as not to be eroded by the times.