Gendang

Gendang (drum) as well as marwas includes in percussion instruments made of hollow cylinder with parchment stretched tightly over the open sides and sounded by beating. There are many sizes of gendang: small, medium and big. The small gendang is called rebana, while the medium and the big gendang are mostly called redap.

Gendang is sounded by beating whether with hand or stick. Gendang has many functions: as the accompaniment music of dance or self-defense art, as the regulator of musical rhythmic harmony, but sometimes just as a supplement in order to make the performance more cheerful.

There are two kinds of gendang: first, the wired gendang with parchment stretched tightly on one side, and one centimeter in width of rubber placed across in the middle of the hollow cylinder on another side. The player beats the first side with the right hand, and picks the second side with the left hand.

Second, gendang dabos resembles rebana (the small drum), a hollow cylinder with circular ends of unequal size. The biggest circle is covered by the parchment. This musical instrument is sounded by beating whether with hand or fingers.

Source : Ensiklopedi Nasional Indonesia Jilid 6, (Jakarta, PT. Cipta Adi Pustaka: 1988).
Credit photo : malaysiana.pnm.my

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