Have you ever seen an angklung instrument? Angklung is a typical musical instrument originating from West Java. How to play it is quite easy because you only need to shake the angklung.
Angklung is a musical instrument made of bamboo which has been cut at the ends. The shape of the angklung resembles a pipe and is tied together in one frame. Angklung is also multitonal or has a double tone.
The Beginning of Angklung Musical Instruments
Many researchers estimate that angklung has entered Indonesia during the Neolithic era. Angklung is also a part of pre-Hindu relics in Indonesia.
Historical records about angklung show that this musical instrument began to appear in the Kingdom of Sunda in the 12th to the 16th centuries. Initially angklung originated from the rice rite, then another myth emerged. In ancient times, Angklung was deliberately played with the aim of luring Dewi Sri (Dewi Padi) to come down to Earth and fertilize plants.
The bamboos that can be used to make angklung are black bamboo and ater bamboo. The tones in the angklung are generated from the sound of bamboo tubes in the form of numbers. Besides having different tones, it turns out that angklung also has different types.
Types of Angklung Musical Instruments
There are various types of angklung musical instruments that you can find, including:
Kanekes Angklung
Kanekes is an area in Bedouin. The Bedouins often use this type of angklung for rice rites. There are those who play it freely but there are also those who play it with a certain tone or rhythm.
Even though it has a different method, there are rules that must be obeyed, for example the angklung can only be played until “ngubaran pare”.
There are several names of angklung kanekes, the largest namely angklung indung, tangkung, gunjing, dongdong, indung leutik, cranks, roel and torolok.
Padaeng Angklung
This type of angklung is taken from the name of a character Daeng Soetigna. The difference between angklung dieng and other types of angklung is that there is a breakthrough in the form of using diatonic tunings adapted to Western music.
The purpose of using diatonic tones is so that traditional instruments can be used to play international song ensemble arrangements.
Angklung Gubrag
This type of angklung is an angklung that is quite widely developed in the Cipinang area, Cigudeg, Bogor. Like other types of angklung, this type of angklung is also widely used for rice planting activities to call Dewi Sri.
Gubrag Angklung is a type of angklung made of black bamboo because this type of bamboo is quite easy to find in the West Java Region. Black bamboo is also known to produce a louder sound. Gubrag’s Angklung is also decorated with a wiru flower that can sway when you are playing the angklung.
