Playing techniques

Irama

Irama is a Javanese musical concept which describes the relationships between the instruments within a gamelan piece.

It is often described in terms of the number of peking strokes per balungan beat e.g.

Irama lancar

(lit. fluent)

1 peking stroke per balungan beat

Irama tanggung

(lit. neither one thing nor the other – ie not yet dados)

2 peking strokes per balungan beat

Irama dados

(lit. mature, finished)

4 peking strokes per beat

The bonang barung plays at the same rate as the peking, and it is useful to note that the kendhang kalih is also playing at the same rate as the bonang barung and peking. The bonang panerus plays twice as fast.

Irama wiled or wilet

(wiled can mean sweet or tuneful or tangled-up and complicated!)

8 peking strokes per beat

Irama rangkep

(lit. – doubled)

16 peking strokes per beat

Some pieces use a doubled balungan in irama wiled which may give the impression that there are four peking beats to one balungan beat. However the relationship of the peking to the kethuk and kempyang remains the same, that is eight peking beats per one kempyang/kethuk beat. (See Basic Bentuk download in pdf format)

Irama is not the same as speed, although sometimes it can be an indication of this. A piece in irama lancar will usually be played at a fast and lively tempo for example. Irama tanggung and irama dados can be played comparatively quickly or slowly

See also