Apple Using the GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music Instruments - Manual (Page 14)

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The Indonesian islands are home to a unique form of ensemble music-making using
mallet percussion instruments. The gamelan has fascinated composers and listeners
since being brought to the West at the beginning of the 20th century.
Indonesian Gamelan
Gamelan is the name for the traditional music ensemble of Indonesia. Both Bali and
Java have both produced distinctive styles of gamelan playing with histories extending
over many centuries. The word
gamelan means “ensemble” or “orchestra.”
The sound of a gamelan is produced by a combination of metallic percussion
instruments, including the xylophone-like
gangsa and sets of suspended gongs called
reyong. Gangsa are struck with hammer-shaped mallets, while reyong are struck with
wooden sticks wound with rope. Both instruments can be muted by the player’s free
hand; with the Indonesian Gamelan Software Instrument, you can play ringing and
muted notes on both the gangsa and reyong using the mod wheel.
The characteristic shimmering sound of the gamelan is produced by slight differences
in tuning between instruments playing interlocking patterns. Another technique of
gamelan performance involves playing the same melody at several different rates
simultaneously, creating intricate, interweaving patterns.