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Gamelan : percussion or melody ? |
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Of what types are a gamelan's intruments ? Are they percussion instruments or melodic instruments ? An instrument is said melodic when it can play several notes. Hence, a triangle or a drum in a symphony orchestra are not melodic instruments. Because they are percussion instruments ? No, since instruments that are both melodic and percussion exist, like the xylophone and the vibraphone. |
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In a symphony orchestra, and in fact in music as a general rule, the majority of instruments are either melodic either percussion. |
The presence of gamelan among the world's musical traditions is a noteworthy fact. It is the best instance of instrumental ensemble where percussion and melody are one. One is dealing with percusso-melodic instruments. |
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In Europe, one often classifies musical instruments according to these four families :
![]() Cordophones ![]() |
![]() Aerophones ![]() |
![]() Membranophones ![]() |
![]() Idiophones ![]() |
String | Wind | Drums | Percussion other than drums![]() |
This classification is not of European invention, it is directly inspired from a musical theory of ancient India. One classified the instruments according to if they were :
![]() Stretched ![]() |
![]() Hollow ![]() |
![]() Covered ![]() |
![]() Solid ![]() |
Tata![]() |
Susira![]() |
Awanaddha![]() |
Ghana![]() |
In China, one classified the instruments according to eight materials :
![]() Stone ![]() |
![]() Metal ![]() |
![]() Silk ![]() |
![]() Bamboo ![]() |
![]() Wood ![]() |
![]() Hide ![]() |
![]() Calabash ![]() |
![]() Baked earth ![]() |
The membranophones and idiophones of the European system are both percussion instruments.
![]() String ![]() |
![]() Wind ![]() |
![]() Percussion ![]() |
To simplify, one can regard non-string and non-wind instruments as percussion. | ![]() |
The gongs, the metallophones of gamelans are percussion instruments that have the same importance as wind and string of symphony orchestras.
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