Indonesian Traditional Musical Instruments

Indonesia is a country covering thousands of islands stretching from Sabang to Merauke, which of the many islands and its people are born, grow and develop various cultural areas. Traditional art which is an identity, and a medium of expression of Indonesian society.

Almost all regions of Indonesia have a special traditional music and distinctive. Of uniqueness can be seen seen from the technique, presentation and form/organological musical instruments. Traditional art itself has a high spirit of collectivity, so it can be recognized character and characteristics of Indonesian society, namely the famous friendly and polite.

To know more about us closer to traditional music can be categorized into several groups:

1. Percussion instruments.

Percussion is the designation for all musical instruments playing techniques beaten, either by hand or stick. In this case some musical instruments belonging to the percussion instrument is the gamelan, Kendang, Arumba, Talempong, Sampek and Kolintang, Rebana (Tambourine), Bedung, Jimbe and others.

A. Gamelan is a musical instrument made of metal, gamelan comes from the region of Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Java called Degung and Balinese Gamelan Bali called. The device consists of gamelan instruments saron, demung, gong, kenong, slentem, bonang, peking, gender and several other instruments. Besides, it has a tone pentatonic gamelan / pentatonic.

B. Kendang are kind of percussion instrument that membranes derived from animal skins (goat). Kendang or gendang can be found in many parts of Indonesia. kendang in West Java has an important role in dance Jaipong. In Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali,  kendang used in Gamelan, either to accompany dance, wayang and Ketoprak. Tifa is a kind of musical instrument kendang that can be encountered in the area of ​​Papua, Maluku and Nias. Rebana is a type of musical instrument commonly used in the art having Islamic. rebana can be found in almost all parts of Indonesia.

C. Arumba (bamboo strains) originated from West Java. Arumba is a musical instrument made ​​of bamboo which is played with melodic and rhythmic. At first arumba using pentatonic scales but in its development using diatonic scales.

D. Talempong is the art music tradition of the Minangkabau. Talempong is pitched diatonic instrument (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do).

E. Sampek (sampe / sapek) is someone whose musical instrument resembling a guitar comes from Kalimantan. This instrument is made ​​of wood covered with ornaments / carvings are beautiful. Other stringed instruments resembling sampek is Hapetan of Tapanuli, Jungga of South Sulawesi.

F. Kolintang or kulintang originated from Minahasa region. This instrument has a diatonic scales that all instrument consisting of bass, melodic and rhythmic. The basic ingredients are made of wood and how to play this instrument in time by using a stick.

G. Sasando is a stringed musical instrument derived from the East Nusa Tenggara, the Kecapi made ​​of bamboo with a given strings, while for the resonance is made of woven palm leaves that have a half-sphere shape.

2. Stringed Musical Instruments.

Traditional musical instrument which uses techniques swiped game is Rebab. Rebab came from West Java, Central Java, Jakarta (Betawi arts). Rebab made ​​of wood and covered with a thin skin resonator, has two strings and have the pentatonic scales. Other traditional musical instruments that have a shape like a rebab is Ohyan the resonator made ​​of coconut shell. Rebab of this type can be found in Bali, Java and South Kalimantan.

3. Blow Musical Instruments.

The flute is a wind instrument made ​​of bamboo almost all regions in Indonesia can be found this instrument. Saluang is a wind instrument from West Sumatra, flute can be found in North Sumatra, Kalimantan. Lembang distilled from Toraja region having a length between 40-100 cm with a diameter of 2 cm.

Tarompet, serompet, selompret is a type of wind instrument that has a 4-6 hole to blow tone and funnel-shaped portion. Traditional music using instruments like these are folk art Tapanuli, West Java, East Java, Madura and Papua.