8 Javanese Musical Instruments that Perfectly Sounding Great

Javanese islands consist of three parts of regions parted by West Java, East Java, and Central Java. With these parts of regions, make the culture comes in a variant way with their every specific culture.

Because those cultures come from one island, that makes has so many specific cultures was born there as part of the incredible facts of Java island.

Besides, if you get to take a look closer at them, their culture is almost the same in some aspects, includes musical instruments. Let’s see some of the lists below which talk about the Javanese musical instrument that exists from time to time.

Each of them even so famous internationally with a perfect sound to hear that makes you should proud of them.

• Gendang

Gendang is a kind of Javanese musical instrument that comes from the Central Java region. It is made from the part of the big three with the big hole inside and closed by the cow’s or buffalo’s leather material. That makes the sound has a good tempo and dynamic rhythm which so close to the myth of central java’s folktales.

Commonly, Gendang made from the chosen wood such as coconut tree,  jackfruit tree, or Cempedak tree. The leather also has to be made from good and strong leather such as from the cow and buffalo. It is tied neatly with the rattan rope to make it sturdier while you have beaten it.

• Gambang

Gambang is a kind of Javanese musical traditional instrument made from bamboo. It contains about 18 bamboo slats which neatly arranged closer one from each other. That makes the sound has a dynamic rhythm with a unique voice.

Gambang plays by beaten the instruments with a specific hammer made from the metal and bamboo in the stalk. Commonly it plays for the Gambang Kromong as the traditional music from Central Java.

• Angklung Reog

Angklung Reog is a kind of Javanese musical instruments that comes from Ponorogo, East Java. It is made from bamboo that is arranged just like the wall with a specific space. The instruments are usually decorated with a red and yellow ribbon as the representative of the character of the East Javanese.

Angklung Reog has a unique sound which a higher note in common which makes it different from other Angklung on Java island. You can find this kind of instrument in some important events in East Java such as the Reog Ponorogo dance and other dances from East Java.

• Bonang

Bonang is a kind of musical instrument that comes from East Java. This instrument contains some of Gong in the little size that arranged neatly in two lines. Every gong should be tied with the stronger string so that they are can be closer to each other.

Bonang is capable to give differents sounds to hear which come from neat lines. It is made from bronze, iron, and brass materials so that the sound will come differently. To play these instruments is so easy which you can only need to beat every Gong dynamically to get a good rhythm.

• Kenong Telok

Kenong Telok is a kind of Javanese musical instruments that comes from Madura, East Java. It is made from bronze or brass material with a shape that similar to the Gong in the tinier size. It should be arranged in two or three little Gongs in one basket or specific woods.

Commonly, Kenong Telok plays with the Karapan Sapi culture dance or Kuda Mencak in Madura. Those dances are the most popular dance in Madura and usually plays in a specific festival every year.

• Suling

Suling is a kind of Javanese musical instrument that comes from West Java. It is similar to the flute but made from bamboo in a specific size. Commonly it comes with only three, four, and six holes depend on the size.

Suling commonly plays in the same way as the flute but it has unique sounds. It represents the Javanese characteristic, specifically West Javanese people. You can find these instruments in most of West Java traditional music, dances, or songs.

• Jenglong

Jenglong is a kind of Javanese musical instrument that comes from West Java which so close to West Java’s folktales. It is made from brass and similarly looks like the Gong with some different sizes. It had to be tied and hung on the steadier woods to make the good sound to hear.

Jenglong commonly comes as the basic rhythm in the music of Sundanese songs. Usually, these instruments play in most traditional songs to following the traditional dance from West Java.

• Angklung

Angklung is a kind of Javanese traditional instrument that comes from West Java. It similarly looks the same as the Angklung Reog in East Java that is made from bamboo. You should shake these instruments so that it will give you a unique sound to hear.

You can find Angklung in most Java islands, not only in West Java and East Java but also in the most traditional ceremony in West Java. These music instruments even admitted by UNESCO as the world cultural heritage in Indonesia for the Masterpiece of Oral and intangible Heritage of Humanity category.

So, there are some of the lists about Javanese musical instruments that still exist until now with a great sounding to hear. Lately, those instruments only play usually by the elder and the new generation becomes rare to plays them all.

On the other hand, that makes the instruments can be extinct if they just let them go. As Indonesian next generation, we should preserve the culture by trying to learn how to play those musical traditional instruments.