Angklung...

GooD MoRNiNG Guys !!!!

Firstly, I would like to ask you. Do you know what is angklung?

Angklung is one of the musical instruments. It is made out of two or more bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. It is carved to get a reasonant pitch when struck. The tubes are tuned to octaves or making chord.The base of the frame is held with one hand while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This causes a rapidly repeating note to sound.(tremolo)

Thus each of three or more angklung performers in an ensemble will play just one note and together complete melodies are produced,or played by single player on the rack. Angklung is popular throughout Southeast Asia, but originated from Indonesia (used and played by the Sundanese since the ancient times).It is heard it both folkloric and modern songs. It is is a familiar and beautiful sound in Indonesia.

According to folklore, angklung was a musical instrument of agricultural festivals and was also used during the festivities to arouse the fighting spirits of soldiers. It was also associated in Java with kuda lumping dancing tuned to the traditional pentatonic scale .

We produce two tubes angklung and three tubes angklung using black bamboo(bambu hitam/ Gigantochloa aff. atter ) tuned to the International Chromatic scale(diatonic scale) which differs from the traditional pentatonic scale .

Erhu...

Hi everybody !

Long time no write something. So, today I will continue write about the Malaysian musical instruments. I will write about "Erhu". Do you know what is Erhu?

Erhu is a kind of violin (fiddle) with two strings which. It is said that its origin would be dated up to the Tang dynasty and related to the instrument, called xiqin originated from a Mongolian tribe Xi. During Song dynasty, the instrument was introduced to China and was called "Ji Qin". Soon the second generation of the huqin was among the instruments played at the imperial banquets. During the Dynasties of Yuan, Ming and Qing, the erhu underwent a great development at the time of the golden age of the local operas. The erhu then developed in a different "schools". Two famous artists Hua Yanjun (1893-1950) and Liu Tianhua(1895-1932) made an exceptional contribution to the improvement of the erhu, and it was indeed due to the latter that the erhu, an instrument mainly for accompaniment in an opera, becomes a solo instrument. After the foundation of People's Republic of China (1949), the manufacture of the erhu, the playing techniques, the repertoire as well as the musical education of this instrument have undergone an unpresidented development. The repertoire has grown rapidly in the genres of solo, with ensemble as well as concerti with symphony orchestra. Erhu now has become one of the most popular instruments in China.

The sound body of the erhu is a drum-like little case usually made of ebony or sandalwood and snake skins. It usually has a hexagonal shape with the length of approximately 13 cm. The front opening is covered with skin of python (snake) and that of the back is left open. The functions of this case of resonance are to amplify the vibrations of the strings. The neck of the erhu is about 81 cm long and is manufactured with the same materials as the drum. The top of the stem is bent for decoration. The two strings of the erhu is usually tuned D and A. The two tuning handles (pegs) are found close to the end of the stem. There is no frets (as contrast to the lute) or touching board (as contrast to violin). The player creates different pitches by touching the strings at various positions along the neck of the instrument. The strings are usually made of silk or nylon. Nowadays, metal strings are commonly used. The bow is 76 cm long and is manufactured of reed which one curves during cooking, and arched with horse hair in the same way as the bow of violin. However, in the case of erhu, the horse hair runs between the two strings. In another word, one cannot take off the bow from the instrument unless one of the two strings is taken off or broken.

Lastly, for your information Erhu often plays an important role in the national orchestras. In the smaller orchestras, there are usually 2 to 6 erhu, in larger ones, 10 with 12. In fact, the erhu plays the same role as the violin in the Western orchestras.

Bye, thank you...=)