Gamelan Music

Matt Till · #1 07-03-2007, 11:15 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamelan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orUftdTlDow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN5WO4s6vW0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRS13e5R8GI

Anyone else a fan?

**Blackbird** · #2 07-03-2007, 11:42 AM

Gamelan music is a lot of fun. I've been part of an ensemble and there's a lot a musician can learn from it regarding layers of sounds and how to arrange them.

Matt Till · #3 07-03-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Gamelan music is a lot of fun. I've been part of an ensemble and there's a lot a musician can learn from it regarding layers of sounds and how to arrange them.

Interesting. How much of it is improv and how much of it is composed? For what you did I mean. Was it something you learned on sheet music?

The BurgerMeister · #4 07-03-2007, 01:27 PM

i love gamelan music!

another you may want to check out is Kecak. a whole chorus of people chanting a bunch of different rhythms simultaneously. it's awesome to hear!

Matt Till · #5 07-03-2007, 01:33 PM

Cool! Definitely recommending recordings is appreciated. I've only got a few.

**Blackbird** · #6 07-03-2007, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

Interesting. How much of it is improv and how much of it is composed? For what you did I mean. Was it something you learned on sheet music?

It was totally composed. Gamelan music is, as far as I know, completely composed.

Gamelan was a class I took in college. Basically, our instructor would teach us our parts individually by playing them, no notation involved.

Interesting tidbid: All instruments inthe Gamelan ensemble are built together as a family of instruments which are all blessed together.

The BurgerMeister · #7 07-03-2007, 02:06 PM

(here's) an amazon page that has a bunch of Kecak and Gamelan recording. best i can do... i don't have any Gamelan recordings, and the only Kecak one i have is the second one on that page (which wasn't 60 bucks back when i bought it

).

Matt Till · #8 07-03-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbird

It was totally composed. Gamelan music is, as far as I know, completely composed.

Gamelan was a class I took in college. Basically, our instructor would teach us our parts individually by playing them, no notation involved.

Interesting tidbid: All instruments inthe Gamelan ensemble are built together as a family of instruments which are all blessed together.

Yep, I know built together is a big deal. I don't know if it's true anymore, but the Gamelan instruments are also tuned together (obviously) but to no universal pitch. So you can't grab your section of a Gamelan ensemble and go play with another.

That's the main thing I wondered, if you were taught on an individual basis or if you had to learn some Javanese sheet music system.

**Blackbird** · #9 07-03-2007, 02:28 PM

Nope. Zero notation. 100% by ear.

Benjamin Strange · #10 07-06-2007, 10:19 AM

As I understand it, Robert Fripp was deeply into gamalean music when KC reformed in 1980. He claims that much of the songwriting from that era was influenced by that type of layering and structure.

I like it.

Matt Till · #11 07-06-2007, 11:33 AM

I read about that on the Wiki Chiki, and I wouldn't have made that connection, but it's not far fetched at all.

labgnat · #12 07-06-2007, 08:32 PM

defintely interesting music, i've got a gambang and rebab which are both used in gamelan. love the balinese dancing they do along to it. freaking cool

Aarix · #13 07-07-2007, 09:38 PM

Talk about heavy metal. That rocks.