tommyfromhowardst Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Ok, so I'm sure we've all heard of Gamelan ensembles from the Far East and South Asia for decades as have I but--I think they're getting better. Here's a clip of a Gamelan comprised of kids--couldn't be more that 16 to 18 years old tops. Clip is a little over 9 min. and gets moving around the 2:00 mark but watch the whole thing, so much graceful hand motion. Listen to the crowd--they go nuts! These guys are smokin'. Things to note--their dynamics are pro, you'll notice half of them play with one hand and damper with the other. Their phrasing is delicate, and talk about syncopation and counting!!! It must have been written in a 17/13 or 21/3 or some other Klingon time sig. 'cause it's all over the place. We got nothing on these guys. They're tickless. Way cool unis too. Watch for runs that require one beat at a time from multiple players. Slick stuff you just have to appreciate. If you are a membranophonist, do yourself the solid and watch this. Just might learn something or at least get some ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tansea Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Ok, so I'm sure we've all heard of Gamelan ensembles from the Far East and South Asia for decades as have I but--I think they're getting better. Here's a clip of a Gamelan comprised of kids--couldn't be more that 16 to 18 years old tops. Clip is a little over 9 min. and gets moving around the 2:00 mark but watch the whole thing, so much graceful hand motion. Listen to the crowd--they go nuts!These guys are smokin'. Things to note--their dynamics are pro, you'll notice half of them play with one hand and damper with the other. Their phrasing is delicate, and talk about syncopation and counting!!! It must have been written in a 17/13 or 21/3 or some other Klingon time sig. 'cause it's all over the place. We got nothing on these guys. They're tickless. Way cool unis too. Watch for runs that require one beat at a time from multiple players. Slick stuff you just have to appreciate. If you are a membranophonist, do yourself the solid and watch this. Just might learn something or at least get some ideas. Amazing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbasaurusRex Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Nice to see the Bali peeps gettin some love. After drum corps, I lived in Bali for a few years to study gamelan and have been doing it ever since. The dedication among artists, and for the artists there is perhaps the best in the world. Gamelan isn't just an art that other people do, it's a way of life that everyone participates in at some point their lives. People there listen to it all the time, in their homes, cars, etc. That performance was shot at the Bali Art Center as part of a competition that happens every year in June/July. If you like the kids, wait til you see the adults who taught them. Holy crap. Hundreds of groups from all over Indonesia converge for a festival that brings out literally hundreds of thousands of appreciative fans. (bring your riot gear cuz it can get a little crazy!) If you ever get a chance to go to Bali, go during these months and plan to be at Art Center every night. It's a must see for anyone who loves great musicianship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Nice to see the Bali peeps gettin some love. After drum corps, I lived in Bali for a few years to study gamelan and have been doing it ever since. The dedication among artists, and for the artists there is perhaps the best in the world. Gamelan isn't just an art that other people do, it's a way of life that everyone participates in at some point their lives. People there listen to it all the time, in their homes, cars, etc. That performance was shot at the Bali Art Center as part of a competition that happens every year in June/July. If you like the kids, wait til you see the adults who taught them. Holy crap. Hundreds of groups from all over Indonesia converge for a festival that brings out literally hundreds of thousands of appreciative fans. (bring your riot gear cuz it can get a little crazy!) If you ever get a chance to go to Bali, go during these months and plan to be at Art Center every night. It's a must see for anyone who loves great musicianship. I meant to ask you if you had been involved in that....when I saw "gamelan," I thought of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quadman1 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Love the Gamelan, but how about the annual Panorama Steel Band competition in Trinidad and Tobago? Here's the 2009 champion, Silverstars Steel Orchestra, playing "First In De Line": I love pan! No vocals, no amplification, no woodwinds. The strict adherence to percussion only actually offers composers and band leaders the freedom to create within the idiom. While were at it, a link to the back-to-back world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band's winning medly performance three weeks ago at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. No vocals, no amplification, no woodwinds, no brass - just pipes & drums. Another classic world music event which, like Panorama, draws huge crowds, television coverage, and more and more young people interested in the purity and quality of the music. Similar to what used to be known as Drum & Bugle Corps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVGjcdElS2Y Edited September 4, 2009 by Quadman1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 While were at it, a link to the back-to-back world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band's winning medly performance three weeks ago at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. No vocals, no amplification, no woodwinds, no brass - just pipes & drums. Another classic world music event which, like Panorama, draws huge crowds, television coverage, and more and more young people interested in the purity and quality of the music. Similar to what used to be known as Drum & Bugle Corps. As a pipe band drummer, I can say pretty authoritatively that the crowds are nowhere near what DCI draws. Most US competitions, even the big ones, play to between 50-500 spectators. That said, man, those are good drummers. Got to do a class with Reid Maxwell (their lead drummer / caption head) once - eye opening experience, for sure. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quadman1 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) As a pipe band drummer, I can say pretty authoritatively that the crowds are nowhere near what DCI draws. Most US competitions, even the big ones, play to between 50-500 spectators. That said, man, those are good drummers. Got to do a class with Reid Maxwell (their lead drummer / caption head) once - eye opening experience, for sure.Mike Regular attendance at the Worlds at Glasgow Green is estimated at approximately 40,000. This is the total for all classes, all day long. There is no real stadium there, just a small grandstand that seats about 1,000 or 1,200, but there are several thousand fans that stand around the periphary of the Grade 1 competition area. Agree about Reid Maxwell. He has provided most of the drum scores for our band over the past 11 years and has spent several weekends in the winter teaching our drum line. He and his colleague, P/M Terry Lee, are first-class, amazingly talented, genuinely nice people who are at the pinnacle of the pipe band world yet remain humble, down-to-earth guys. They have earned my full respect. Edited September 5, 2009 by Quadman1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Yes, but aren't those Bb angklungs? KIDDING! Those kids are amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyfromhowardst Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 Love the Gamelan, but how about the annual Panorama Steel Band competition in Trinidad and Tobago? Here's the 2009 champion, Silverstars Steel Orchestra, playing "First In De Line": I love pan! No vocals, no amplification, no woodwinds. The strict adherence to percussion only actually offers composers and band leaders the freedom to create within the idiom. While were at it, a link to the back-to-back world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band's winning medly performance three weeks ago at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. No vocals, no amplification, no woodwinds, no brass - just pipes & drums. Another classic world music event which, like Panorama, draws huge crowds, television coverage, and more and more young people interested in the purity and quality of the music. Similar to what used to be known as Drum & Bugle Corps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVGjcdElS2Y I forgot about this thread--man, those Silverstars are fun as heck and clean too. Pipe and drum guys were cool too--tenors were twirling those sticks!! Someone mentioned that there's an event similar to a world music olympics--there should absolutely be one if there's not. All these different ensembles--boy that would be just the bee's knees!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musical_Spinner Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 We often have Gamelan players come to the school I graduated from as a joint venture between the dance and music department. One of our professors had a custom set made for himself (apparently for a hefty price). I'd have to guess it was around 20 pieces in all. He teaches how to play it in a class I took, ever since I've been infatuated with it. Great stuff! Next time I am at the school I will snap a picture to post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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