Angklung Unit What is meant by Unit Angklung is a set of musical instruments that builds angklung orchestra. Based on the shape and function, Unit Angklung consists of Melodic Angklung, Accompaniment Angklung, Bass Party Angklung, and Cuk Angklung. There are also other instruments that usually used to complete a Unit Angklung, such as Contra Bass and Accompaniment Gambang.
Parts Of Angklung Unit Melodic Angklung
Melodic Angklung has a function to play tones in a song. There are two kinds of Melodic Angklung, 2 tubes and 3 tubes. The difference in the tube is aimed to make the sound clearer. Melodic Angklung consists of 2,5 octave of tone scale. In order to make the player easier in playing the angklung, Melodic Angklung is given number, so that the players only need to remember the number. But it is better if we know about the absolute tone. The number of Melodic Angklung is as written below:
ACC Angklung (Accompaniment/ Accord) This angklung has a function as accord and divided into two kinds of angklung, Major Accord that consists of four tubes (base tone, terst, kwint, and septime) and Minor Accord that consists of four pure sound tubes without septime. Accompaniment Angklung has a function to escort the song or as Accompaniment Guitar in a band. The difference between Accompaniment Angklung and Melodic Angklung is the tube in Accompaniment Angklung has its own tone, not like Melodic Angklung that has main tone with octave (unisono). So, the sound that produced by Accompaniment Angklung is in form of Accord.
Accompaniment Angklung consists of:
MAJOR ACCOMPANIMENT
It consists of four tubes. For example, accord that consists of C-E-G tone is called C major accord. If the tone C-E-G-Bes, it is called C7 accord because Bes is a septime of that accord. If the accord consists of G-B-D tone, it is called G major accord. If the tone G-B-D-F, it is called G7 accord because F is a septime of that accord. So, if in a song is written C7, it means all of the tubes should be played. If it is written C, it means only three tubes should be played, while the Bes tone tube should be held and do not produce any sound.
MINOR ACCOMPANIMENT
Minor Accompaniment Angklung consists of three tubes that is called ‘bunyi tiga’ accord. So, if in a song is written Cm, it means C minor accompaniment. If it is written Dm, it means D minor accompaniment and so on. A thing that should be noted is:
Cm consists of C-Es-G tone D7 consists of D-Fis-C tone
If we combine G tone from Cm is not being played and D from D7, we will get combination tone that consists of C-Es-Fis-A that later will be written: C-Es-Ges-Beses, because Fis inharmonious with Ges while A inharmonious with Beses, and we get C-Dim Accord. We can also find another diminished accord with previous steps. Then, if we need C+ Accompaniment (C-Auqmented), C+ Accord consists of: C-E-Gis. To get this Accompaniment, combine Am Accompaniment with A tone is held together with Fm Accompaniment and F tone is held, because:
Am Accompaniment consists of A-C-E Fm Accompaniment consists of F-As-C
If we combine both accompaniment, after A and F tone are held, it will produce accord that consists of C-E-As or C-E-Gis, because As inharmonious with Gis. With previous step, we can get C+ Accord (C-Auqmented Accompaniment).
CUK ANGKLUNG (CO- ACCOMPANIMENT)
The function of this angklung is the same with Accompaniment Angklung, it only has higher tone than Accompaniment Angklung. This Angklung, based on tone arrangement and shape, is the same with Accompaniment Angklung that is Accord. The Accord symbol is the same too, but the tone one octave higher than Accompaniment Angklung. Both of the Accompaniment (ACC Angklung and Cuk Angklung) are played repeatedly based on song arrangement, rhythm, and beat that relate each other and supported by percussion. Cuk Angklung is usually used as a successor of ukulele in Keroncong or songs that have Beguine rhythm, or sometimes Mars or Arumba.
LOW MELODIC ANGKLUNG/ BASS PARTY
Bass Party Angklung/ Low Melodic Angklung is an angklung that has function to play low tone.
Classification of Angklung Unit Small Unit of Angklung
Notes: 1. Two tubes Melodic Angklung (28 pieces, 2 sets) 2. Major ACC Angklung (6 pieces) and Minor ACC Angklung (5 pieces) 3. Big Melodic Angklung/ Bass Party (6 pieces) 4. Standard pillar for Melodic Angklung 5. Standard pillar for ACC Angklung and Bass Party
Medium Unit of Angklung
Notes: 1. Two tubes Melodic Angklung (31 pieces, 2 sets) 2. Major ACC Angklung (8 pieces) and Minor ACC Angklung (5 pieces) 3. Big Melodic Angklung/ Bass Party 4. Standard pillar for Melodic Angklung 5. Standard pillar for ACC Angklung and Bass Party
Large Unit of Angklung
Notes: 1. Two tubes Melodic Angklung (31 pieces, 3 sets) 2. Major ACC Angklung (10 pieces) and Minor ACC Angklung (7 pieces) 3. Big Melodic Angklung/ Bass Party (11 pieces, 2 sets) 4. Dominant Major of Cuk Angklung (10 pieces) and Dominant Minor of Cuk Angklung (7 pieces) 5. Standard pillar for Melodic Angklung 6. Standard pillar for Melodic Angklung and Bass Party 7. Standard pillar for ACC Angklung and Cuk Angklung