Celempung

Celempung Played by: Sumarsam. From Wesleyan University's Virtual Instrument Museum
http://learningobjects.wesleyan.edu/vim

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Wesleyan
• University
• Virtual
• Instrument
• Museum
• VIM

[Tedriccifran]

@GatoradeIsNotJuice This is an instrument that I have played for many years, and it's not hugely hard. A lot of your comments come from not knowing the music. You're right, it's 'out of tune' - deliberately - it's part of the aesthetic. Traditional Indonesian musicians are as concerned at Western instruments being too in tune. The instrument doesn't stand alone - it's not a solo instrument, nor even a front-line instrument. Pak Sumarsam can play ALL the instruments expertly.

[garfidge1]

I have a celumpung for sale if anyone wants to make me an offer

[Chichiri520]

I met Mr. Sumarsam before when I heard them play in person. Very nice man! I wish I was his student.

[lililovestheworldnow]

I love this, this would go great with a reggae beat. Yeah. Lets get universal.

[GatoradeIsNotJuice]

@danielfuruta im not making any claims to say that I can do his job better than he can, by all means I cant because ive never played one before. I just wasnt exactly impressed by his playing, but music is all subjective, right? thank you for the reference on the scale name, Il look it up!

and man everyone keeps telling me this doesnt line up with western pitches, but I get that! Im used to microtonal scales, this one just came across as a bit odd to me

best regards

[danielfuruta]

@GatoradeIsNotJuice Sumarsam is widely recognized as a master musician and teacher within the gamelan community. This instrument is tuned to the Javanese slendro scale, which doesn't line up with western pitches.

Perhaps the sound would make more sense to your ears if you were able to hear it in the context of the full ensemble, but you're very much mistaken to think you understand the instrument better than Sumarsam does.

[nepalnt21]

@GatoradeIsNotJuice i dont believe in 'out of tune'

[GatoradeIsNotJuice]

i am not insulting the instrument by any means. it just appears that the man demonstrating all these instruments isnt proficient at any of the many instruments he is playing and I think it would be best for wesleyan to live up to its prestigious name by having capable people show their instruments. Cheers!

[GatoradeIsNotJuice]

@glorplaxy indeed. the reason i brought up indian instruments is that they are another example of something that ARENT western instruments that use microtonal scales. yet the scales manage to sound good. no need to get offended, I only said it sounds out of tune because it in fact does. I am honored that someone of your evident stature has deemed my ear incapable of perceiving music, this will encourage me to hone my art even further. thank you sir

[GatoradeIsNotJuice]

@glorplaxy indian instruments arent constricted to a chromatic scale.. i play the sitar. the frets are moveable for that reason. but depending on which scale it is, the notes are tuned accordingly to make it sound good. this just sounds.. out of tune