Museumofworldmusic.com

Indonesia

Instruments

Name: Angklung.

Type: Percussion > Idiophone.

Region: Indonesia > South East Asia.

Acquisition Date: Circa year 2003.

Acquisition Source: Value Village Thrift Store, Vancouver, Canada.

Description: The angklung is a percussion instrument classified as an idiophone. The angklung has originated from ancient times in Java Indonesia. The Angklung maybe either played individually or assembled onto a rack. Ensembles may include 1 to 4 musicians and orchestras may include up to 40 members. The Angklung is found among various arrangements also in Gamelan ensembles. The angklung had it first debut in 1955 arranged by the Bandung conference held in Indonesia. The ensemble "Anakswarasanti" uses angklung forged from metal "plates" in which are tuned roughly in equivalent to G, A, B, D in the 12-tone scale. Orchestras have their angklung arranged in male and female pair.

 

Tuning of my Angklung
Low C B A G to F e d" high c"



Anatomy of the Angklung: The angklung is assembled by a horizontally supporting tubes of bamboo in which two opposite square holes that are carved into a third bamboo piece inserted into the middle of each horizontal tube. Two parallel vertical pieces are wrapped with rattan to ensure stability. When shaking the angklung the tubes and their respective pitches make a rattling type sound when some plays the angklung. The two oscillating tubes are inserted with two support beams in which when played they rock through a pivoting motion thus producing the sound. On the main horizontal tubes there are two holes carved in which the pivoting two vertical tubes. The photograph on the right shows the construction of one peace of the angklung.

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