Teaching you Indonesian Gamelan Music! (Lancaran Kotek)

In this video, I show you how Traditional Javanese Gamelan comes together.
Read along with the Balungan notation as I show you how the instruments interact :)
Enjoy!
Special thanks to UCC for allowing me into the room.
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Facebook: / jjriordanmusic
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[@sabutkharizona7095]

This is the surakarta style of javanese gamelan, if you explore more, there are different styles of how you play a javanese gamelan, including yogyakarta style, banyumas style, mangkunegaran style, malang style, madura style, surabaya style, and many more. This I think, make javanese gamelan even more unique and complex.

[@YourTypicalGamer420]

Im from surakarta and this is perfect heheh

[@ashleyhayden1585]

Thanks. A great addition to our homeschool lesson!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Fantastic! I'm glad it's of use to you :)

[@glennbroyne7316]

KZbin recommendation brings me here, not disappointed at all! That composition is very relaxing and sounds so ethereal.

[@johnwellbelove148]

I went on a Gamelan workshop for a day in London, UK, many years ago. We were taught a tune called "Long Time No Herbal Medicine"!

[@GamelanSinarSurya]

“Suwe Ora Jamu” - always a favorite! 😊

[@YourTypicalGamer420]

⁠@@GamelanSinarSuryaAs an indonesian Suwe Ora Jamu is an absoloute classic!

[@oannabonana]

Honestly it's a shame that a foreigner's teaching me (an Indonesian that happen to live in Java Island) Gamelan music. But, this is so helpful and I'm thankful that you put efforts to teach me gamelan music.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Glad it helped :)

[@radenkun]

Thanks, J J Riordan. great! we'll be honored if someday u come visit us at yogyakarta, Indonesia.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I have visited Yogya! I spent most of my time in Solo - but will be back!

[@surreptitiousmusic]

Thank you very much for this! I sat in with a gamelan for a while but they never bothered to explain any of this, which is why I left - I had no clue what was going on, and only a vague idea of when I was supposed to bang a gong (which, in itself, was extremely gratifying)

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Hey thank you for your comment - I hope that this was helpful!

[@dinamakan]

An addition: the last notes of each gatra also indicates what note to play on kenong and kempul too for "lancaran" pattern like the one in this video

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Absolutely correct:)

[@voodoopupmusic]

Super informative and well-explained. Thank you for this!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

You're very welcome!

[@alvianbayup2750]

mantap. terimakasih sudah mengenalkan budaya indonesia kepada dunia 👍👍

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Heyyyyy ma kasih sekali Mas 🤘

[@esterhammerfic]

Great job JJ! I myself created a video like this about the interlocking patterns in Bali. Good to see others creating gamelan introductory videos on youtube.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I'll check it out! Thanks man :)

[@wayanelka9220]

Great explanation🙏

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you so much! Glad it was useful :)

[@survivethenthrive6897]

Thanks for the video. The music sounds very meditative. Does the orchestra normally play some classic pieces or do they improvise?

[@KVR-we8oe]

Very helpful - thank you!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MYGAS21]

What are the GATRAS for the second BELUNGAN motif? A 4 stroke Gatras doesn't make the same sense in the second sceleton motif... ooooor does it? Two 8 stroke Gatras [ - 5 - 3 - 2 - 1 ] and [ - 3 - 2 - 1 - 6 ] work the same way the 4 stroke gatras work in the first BELUNGAN motif. And there are two of them in each motif this way: what I would call an "UPPER" and a "DOWNER" gatras. A 4 stroke Gatras is interesting too, since the 3 - 2 - 1 sequence that repeats is mangled in a more complicated set of relationships: A bigger number of GATRAS with only one repeated sequence. [ 5-3 ], [ 2-1 ], [ 3-2 ], [ 1-6 ] ( Three different "DOWNERS" and an "UPPER")

[@bocahangon2423]

Great introduction for beginners. I once played a simple gendhing when working in Jakarta. Greeting from an Indonesian living in Germany. Keep up the good work!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

+bocah angon thank you so much!! Glad to have a locals seal of approval ! :)

[@cicimelisa858]

Balungan means skeleton.. you are right.. but its javanese not indonesian

[@JJRiordanMusic]

good to know!

[@vegasdrew348]

Thank you for this intuitive instruction! I have sat in front of a pentatonic instrument many times and have only produced "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and the theme from Dvorak's "New World Symphony" but have always wanted to be able to execute a simple rhythm that would be familiar to my Balinese hosts, so I am going to try what you have given us. Quick question on the numbering: in the pentatonic scale there is no "F" note correct? When I play your sequence on the piano, I believe the keys/bars/devices on the gamelan would be: C=1, D=2, E=3, G=5, A= 6 (and then of course it repeats), is this correct? There is no "4"?? Using a C major scale in the above example for the approximate relationship between the notes?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you for that! In the Slendro scale (this video's scale) - the notes that I have are 1=C#, 2=D#, 3=F#, 5=G# and 6=A# - there is no "4" in the Slendro scale, but there is a "4" in the Pelog scale :) If you're playing in C - the notes could be played as C, D, F, G, A :) Hope that that's useful! Let me know how they get on :) JJ

[@sutarnotarno685]

Bravo sas

[@bayuww1417]

Holyshit that great and unique.. 👍 Royal Javanese orchestra..

[@JJRiordanMusic]

🥳🤘

[@HaoNguyen-vy2wh]

Thank you, this was a very helpful video as it helped me lots with my music project in school. I just have a question that do you know who composed this piece (Lancaran Kotek)?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

It’s traditional as far as I know :)

[@PitoInheart]

great sir... i from Malaysia

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you!

[@musicformediagr]

Excellent video! Very helpfull , gj! I played it on my instrument and the feeling i got is that you are playing on B major (although i think you didnt play an D# i heard Bmajor) and you played F# B on repeat and F# E in the end. So purely academic i was wondering why 3-6..3-2 and not 5-1...5-4? Thanks again!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Hey thanks for that! The notes don't exactly match up to western notation / notes, but approximately speaking 1/Db 2/Eb 3/Gb 5/Ab 6/Bb Hope that's of some help :)

[@musicformediagr]

@@JJRiordanMusic ohh i see, thank you!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

No problem :)

[@shiningarmor2838]

It's quite strange, my western-tuned brain forces me to hear the emphasized notes as the downbeats even though they are decidedly not.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

it's quite the learning experience! Immerse yourself in some more - that being said, it's good to get your own understandings of the music too :)

[@SlyHikari03]

Same

[@szkari65]

You just catched the hardest problem of a western-experienced professional musician playing gamelan. A beginner can feel it after some weeks, a musician needs some years, to flip a switch in your head. But it's worth it!

[@arivanuaranu]

TIL moment for me, even though I'm Indonesian myself. Thank you for this. BTW those terms you used are not in Indonesian, they're in Javanese. I speak Indonesian and I don't know what a "balungan" is.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Good to know! I'm glad you were able to learn something from me too :)

[@arievanjava]

In javanese language balung means bone, balung-an/balungan means structure, like humans bone can be a fondation or body structure, so in this case what a meaning of balungan is structure/fondation of beat itself or something similarly

[@user-pq1me5qw1k]

Я давно хотел научиться gamelan. Очень много смотрел их танцы, где люди входят в транс. Однако, там другой ритмический рисунок барабанов. Также другая мелодия ксилофона. А ещё там несколько частей - быстрая и медленная. Спасибо большое!!!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Glad it was a useful resource :)

[@dwinur733]

I.m 11 years old. and I Cann played all intrument gamelan...

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Cool! Javanese? Or Balinese / Sundanese too?

[@dwinur733]

@@JJRiordanMusic Javanese anda sundanese...

[@BrooklynRoseLudlow]

This has been incredibly helpful for an orchestral gamelan project I'm working on, many thanks!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful :)

[@pancalmubal537]

wow .. this should be done together because each person gives and receives "the healing" with each other.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

True, it is normally played with a group, but I felt that this was an easier way for me to demonstrate all of the parts and then put it together :)

[@peterintoronto6472]

How come it is numbered 6,3,1, etc. when the first (1?) is not sounded? When counting up -- Is that zero?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

There’s no zero - and honestly I need to look into why there’s no 4 in Slendro (there is a 4 in pelog) But different pieces use different pathets - or subsections of the scales :)

[@Post-ModernCzechoslovakianWar]

That's pretty awesome, I'll have to check out more gamelan music.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you! Do indeed check some out! It's very relaxing to listen to :)

[@littleorley5218]

Very interesting.....enjoyed,thank you.....

[@JJRiordanMusic]

+Little Orley cheers little orley! Glad you liked it :)

[@YourTypicalGamer420]

Hey can you do “Kupi Kuwi” Please? I’m from Indonesia and my Gamelan teacher wants me to do it next month.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I might be a bit late!

[@YourTypicalGamer420]

@@JJRiordanMusic Ahah it's alright! I got an 80% anyway 😀

[@goblinguard4833]

Do you think it would be possible for you to provide sheet music for this work?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Hey how's it going? You're definitely.barking up the right tree - I know Debussy saw a Balinese Gamelan in Paris at the world Expo and started to compose pentatonic music - you can see it in the pagodes and the arabesques I believe. I can send you the tones and the nearest western-standard pitches, if that's any help? I just wouldn't have time to notate the whole ensembles parts, but could send you a breakdown of how they interact? It's also worth noting that Gamelan ensembles are inwardly tuned - no two sets are tuned identically so there are discrepancies from set to set Let me know what you need!

[@goblinguard4833]

​@@JJRiordanMusic Tones and nearest western-standard pitches would be great! The project I need this for requires that at points I cite various musical elements and compare them - The most important of these elements are harmony and rhythm. I will talk to my music teacher and get back to you in more detail tomorrow. Thanks for your willingness to help!

[@goblinguard4833]

@@JJRiordanMusic Talked to my music teacher - If you give me info on how the parts interact and the lead melody in one part, I can extrapolate from there. I really appreciate your willingness to help!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Give me a day and I'll get it allll to you man 🤘

[@carlosreis7628]

Peking for sure in Surakarta style.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

That’s right!

[@yes-zn9eb]

I would really what to know how to play by number for each peace My group is doomed

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I'm sorry I don't really understand this :L do you want to know where the notes are on the instruments, or just confused by the notes in general? :)

[@yes-zn9eb]

@@JJRiordanMusic we had an assignment about recreating this And you explained it well But we need the chords so that they can play it. But it's ok,we failed 😅

[@basicthingsbutrareanswered]

Just fyi gamelan in indonesia is three type one is from javanese culture one from sundanese culture and the last is from balinese culture

[@JJRiordanMusic]

absolutely true. :)

[@werren894]

java for solemn/dark sundanese for happy impression balinese kinda like baroque fast rythm and stuff

[@daniella6194]

Ketika orang luar negeri lebih ngerti budaya lu daripada lu sendiri, luar biasa :))

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Saya memiliki guru yang sangat baik! Terima kasih banyak :)

[@psvandermotten1949]

have a good life

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you!

[@santinotv556]

What is the name your instrument bro.?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

yo! This is a set of instruments - called a "Gamelan". Its a collective term, like "orchestra". Gamelans are made up of loads of instruments, like gongs, kempuls, kennings, bonangs, slenthems, demungs, sarons, pekings, gambangs, genders, rebabs, zithers, and singers :)

[@josephisverydownwiththekid2962]

cool and epic

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@95chanell98]

Gamelan cirebon style please

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I'm on it

[@alfaindomart1766]

Do you know any artist or soundtrack that use gamelan in their music in a contemporary way? I feel like if done right, gamelan can make some cool atmospheric piece or create a unique sound in a song

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I write contemporary Gamelan music - check out my channel for more! Trent Reznor used a gamelan to score Inception I believe :)

[@JJRiordanMusic]

This is Javanese :) You're absolutely right!

[@JJRiordanMusic]

That's Gamelan Jegog from Bali :)

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Bambang Catur Pamungkas thank you so much! No I recorded the real instruments in UCC :)

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Bambang Catur Pamungkas its easy to tell with some practice listening :) Balinese is fast and Javanese is more mellow. Sundanese is very chill and often features flutes. Jegog is largely bamboo tubes and angklung is a rattling ensemble :)

[@MOZONEandGlambot]

Thank you.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

No problem - hope you got some useful information :)

[@kanggustri8438]

matur suwun,,,aku wong jowo malah nembe ngerti carane,,,,thank youuuuu

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Ma kasih !

[@tylerthom338]

Are you a percussionist? Or do you study ethnomusicology/ musicology?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

I'm primarily a musician, but I studied for my Masters in Ethnomusicology with a focus on Javanese Gamelan 😊🎶

[@putunebakulgethuk29]

Laras dan pathet nya apa Mas JJ?

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Slendro Manyura :)

[@satyananda4389]

🤩

[@JJRiordanMusic]

🤘

[@squashedshibber2684]

Always reminds me of walking through the zelda dungeons, very atmospheric

[@JJRiordanMusic]

glad you enjoyed it :)

[@smz8409]

god

[@JJRiordanMusic]

:D

[@ProSingerFortniter]

Nice

[@JJRiordanMusic]

😃🤘

[@suwitnyo4163]

Salut mister, 👍👍👍

[@JJRiordanMusic]

salut!

[@SIRIANT]

Merasa gagal jadi orang jawa, orang jawa tapi gak pernah belajar gamelan.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Itu tidak benar! Saya tidak tahu banyak tentang musik Irlandia ;)

[@szkari65]

Sayang Mas... tapi hidupannya lama, silahkan belajarlah saja.

[@SamierAmin]

Great video! Loved every bit of it!! Liked and subbed!! Found you on Facebook! I’m also from Ireland, Cork actually! Would also appreciate it if you checked out one of my videos, if you enjoyed you could let me know or even subscribe! Anyway, I’m so excited and looking forward to more! GREAT JOB!! 😌👋

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Thanks man - will check it out for sure :)

[@Julis9526]

Even though I am Javanese and like and can enjoy gamelan, I can't play it at all. Salute and thank you.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Ma kasih sekali ! So glad you're able to take some information from the video :)

[@Julis9526]

@@JJRiordanMusic Terima kasih banyak

[@stocchinet]

It's funny how to my western music trained ears, everything sound terribly out of tune, i wonder if the inverse it's equal for traditional gamelan musicians.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

Bask in the dissonance!

[@stocchinet]

@@JJRiordanMusic Hell yeah, don't get me wrong, it's still enjoyable, but wery weird non the less.

[@JJRiordanMusic]

@@stocchinet I can get behind that :)