Bonang
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The bonang is an instrument used in the gamelan. It is a collection of small gongs (sometimes called "kettles" or "pots") placed horizontally onto strings in a wooden frame (rancak), either one or two rows wide. All of the kettles have a central boss, but around it the lower-pitched ones have a flattened head, while the higher ones have an arched one. Each is tuned to a specific pitch in the appropriate scale; thus there are different bonang for pelog and slendro. They are typically hit with padded sticks (tabuh). This is similar to the other cradled gongs in the gamelan, the kethuk, kempyang, and kenong.
In Gamelan Surakarta there are three types of bonang used:
- Bonang panerus is the highest of them, and uses the smallest kettles. It generally covers two octaves (sometimes more in slendro, since the scale takes fewer notes). It plays the fastest rhythms of the bonang.
- Bonang barung is pitched one octave below the bonang panerus, and also generally covers two octaves. This is one of the most important instruments in the ensemble, as it gives many of the cues to other players in the gamelan.
- Bonang panembung is pitched the lowest, and only has one row of seven larger kettles. It is reserved for solemn occasions, like the gamelan sekaten.
The melody of the bonang is more complicated than many instruments in the gamelan; thus, it is generally considered an elaborating instrument. Sometimes it plays melodies based on the balungan, though generally modified in a simple way. However, it can also play more complex patterns, such as the alternation of interlocking parts (imbal) and florid melodic patterns (sekaran).
The bonang is also the conductor of the Sundanese Gamelan degung.
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Instruments and vocals used in Javanese gamelan |
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Colotomic instruments: |
Kempyang and ketuk | Kempul | Kenong | Gong |
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