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Name: GENDANG
Classification: membranophone
Origin: South East Asia

    Gendang MelayuGendang Gamelan Melayu
    Photo credits: Julie Tan

    Gendang is a common Malay term used to denote any type of drum or membranophone. There are basically three types in Malay folk music, barrel drums, frame drums and kettle drums. Single-headed frame drums are also commonly called rebana.

    Gendang Melayu, Gendang Gamelan Melayu and Gendang Jawa are all double-headed long barrel drums with two skin head of different sizes, made either of goat or cow hide. The skins are attached directly to the body with rattan laces. These types of gendang usually occur in pairs, large and small called ibu (mother) and anak (child) respectively. The Gendang Jawa is found in Javanese gamelan groups in Johor state. Gendang Nobat is another double-headed long barrel drum. It occurs only in nobat orchestras.

    Gendang Ibu (Mother)                  Gendang Anak (Child)  Gendang Ibu Gendang Anak
    Photo Credits: Julie Tan

    The gendang melayu is a principal instrument in many folk theatre music forms as well as in Malay Gamelan music. The pairs of gendang melayu, wherever they occur, play rhythmic patterns in interlocking style. (Matusky 1985).

    Cow Hide (Large Surface)    Goat Hide (Small Surface)
    Cow Hide Skin Goat Hide Skin
    Photo Credits: Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia

    Audio Examples

Audio Examples
(Courtesy of Ang Yaw Feng)
An example of how the gendang ibu sounds
An example of how the gendang anak sounds