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| Inventor(s) | Indonesian (Javanese,Sundanese,Balinese,Makassarese,Bugis)[1][2][3] |
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| Developed | Indonesia[4][5] |
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| Music of Indonesia |
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| Specific forms |
| Regional music |
Akendang orgendang (Javanese:ꦏꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦁ,romanized: kendhang,Sundanese:ᮊᮨᮔ᮪ᮓᮀ,romanized: kendang,Balinese:ᬓᬾᬦ᭄ᬤᬂ,romanized: kendang,Tausug/Bajau/Maranao:gandang,Bugis:gendrang andMakassar:gandrang organrang) is a two-headed drum used by people from theIndonesian Archipelago. The kendang is one of the primary instruments used in thegamelan ensembles ofJavanese,Sundanese, andBalinese music. It is also used in variousKulintang ensembles inIndonesia,Brunei,Malaysia,Singapore, and thePhilippines. It is constructed in a variety of ways by different ethnic groups. It is related to the Indian double-headedmridangam drum.
The typical double-sided membrane drums are known throughoutMaritime Southeast Asia andIndia. One of the oldest image of kendang can be found inancient temples inIndonesia, especially the ninth centuryBorobudur andPrambanan temple.
Among theJavanese,Sundanese, andBalinese, thekendang has one side larger than the other, with the larger, lower-pitched side usually placed to the right, and the drums are usually placed on stands horizontally and hit with the hands on either side while seated on the floor. Amongst groups like theBalinese,Tausug, andMaranao, both sides are of equal size, and the drums are played on either one or both sides using a combination of hands and/or sticks.
InGamelan music, thekendang is smaller than thebedug, which is placed inside a frame, hit with a beater, but used less frequently. Thekendang usually has the function of keeping thetempo (laya) while changing the density (irama), and signaling some of the transitions (paralihan) to sections and the end of the piece (suwuk).
In the dance orwayang performance, thekendang player will follow the movements of the dancer, and communicate them to the other players in the ensemble. InWest Java (Sundanese),kendang are used to keep the tempo ofGamelan Degung.Kendang are also used as main instrument forJaipongan dances. In another composition called Rampak Kendang, a group of drummers play in harmony.
Among theMakassarese, theGanrang (kendang) drums have much more importance, and they are considered the most sacred of all musical instruments, comparable togongs inJava. This can be seen in local origin stories, accompaniments for local ceremonies, dances such asGanrang Bulo, and martial arts. Even local government ceremonies are opened by the official sounding of a ganrang rather than the usual gong inJava. They are usually played alone with multiple drums playing different patterns creating syncopation. These traditions can be seen across lowlandSouth Sulawesi withBugis people also sharing similar reverence to theGendrang.
Good kendang instruments are said to be made from the wood ofjackfruit,coconuts orcempedak.Buffalo hide is often used for thebam (inferior surface which emits low-pitch beats) while soft goatskin is used for thechang (superior surface which emits high-pitch beats).
The skin is stretched on y-shaped leather orrattan strings, which can be tightened to change the pitch of the heads. The thinner the leather the sharper the sound.
In Gamelan Reog, kendhang are used to accompany theReog Ponorogo art, and the sound produced by Kendhang Reog is very distinctive with the beat of "dang thak dhak thung glhang". The existence of Kendang Reog is currently the largest in the world of the existing types of Kendhang.
InGamelan Surakarta, four sizes of kendhang are used:[6]
InSundanese Gamelan, a minimum set consists of three drums.[9]
Many types of Sundanese Kendang are distinguished according to their function in accompaniment :
Each type of drums inSundanese music has a difference in size, pattern, variety, and motif.
InBalinese Gamelan, there are twokendang:[10]
Ganrang (Makassaresekendangs) can be divided to three types:[11]
Among theBugisGendrang there are two types of playing techniques based on the position of thegendrang. if thegendrang is placed on the player's lap it is calledmappalece gendrang. If the players are standing with thegendrangs tied with a shoulder strap it is calledmaggendrang tettong, this position are usually used for sacred ceremony, or for entertainment like beating of rice mortars ormappadendang.There are generally three types of beats pattern ingendrang playing:[12]
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