The BALINESE Gamelan

Balinese Gamelan

A gamelan is an ensemble normally composed primarily of percussion. In Bali, orchestras of tuned gongs, bronze kettles, bronze metallophones, bamboo xylophones, drums, cymbals and flutes fill the night air with animated music. Melodic parts interlock, divided in such a way that musicians play alternate notes to form the melody line. These interlocking parts, known as kotèkan, require cooperation and a keen sense of rhythm to perform. The two parts of a kotèkan, which are thought of as male and female, are known as nyangsih and polos. The main accents of the nyangsih part are usually on the offbeat, while the main accents of the polos part are usually on the beat.

Knowledge of kotèkan can be extremely valuable. These interlocking rhythms have a unique way of bringing people together in cooperation towards a common goal, and there are many creative possibilities for applying them to contemporary music.

The book Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities, by Matthew Montfort, contains exercises that teach these rhythms. Some of these exercises are adapted here for the World Wide Web.

Using MIDI

GM Standard MIDI files of Balinese rhythm exercises from the book are presented here, arranged for General MIDI vibraphones. Use this to practice Balinese interlocking parts, or for compositional ideas.

Computers with multimedia capabilities now come configured for MIDI playback via web browsers. However, with the built-in MIDI support in Netscape and Explorer, some files may not reproduce properly. For proper playback, this site recommends the Beatnik Plugin which supports both GM voices and user programmable sounds.

To set up playback on a MIDI sound module that is not GM compatible, see the MIDI map of the instruments of the Balinese gamelan.

Balinese Rhythm Exercises

Kotèkan Basics is a beginning exploration of the art of interlocking parts. Includes complete instructions, notation, and a MIDI file. A beginning level example from Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities, Chapter 2, Exercise II, page 49.

Anklung MIDI file is an intermediate level Gamelan Anklung kotèkan from Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities, Chapter 2, Exercise III D, page 51. This kotèkan was used as the basis for the composition Gamarock from the Ancient Future release Dreamchaser. More examples of the contemporary use of the kotèkan concept can be found in the Ancient Future introductory pages theme music (from World Without Walls).

(3K GIF of Anklung in Music Notation)

Pèrmas MIDI File is an advanced level example of the composition Pèrmas from the repertoire of the Gamelan Semar Pegulingan, the "gamelan of the love God," as shown in Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities, Chapter 2, Exercise V-B, page 54.

(107K GIF of Pèrmas in Music Notation)

Ancient Rhythms--Future Grooves: MIDI Percussion Groove Tracks from the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India. Want more MIDI files? Get this complete collection of MIDI files based on the book Ancient Traditions--Future Possibilities.