Tukang Ngetik (Typist): Learning Kacapi

Jumat, 16 Mei 2008

Learning Kacapi

Basic Keyings for Kawih

Basic Kacapi Keyings for Kawih Accompaniment

(Pola Dasar Kacapi Pamirig Kawih)
by: Dian Tresna Nugraha,
Munich, 23.08.2003

1Terms

Kawih = Sundanese term for ‘song’
Kacapi siter is used for our purpose. It has 20 strings.
farthest- and longest string (lowest frequency) is tuned to 3
nearest- and shortest string (highest frequency) is tuned to 4. (see 'Tuning')
Suling Sunda is a 60 cm and 6 holed bamboo flute.
Pangkat is ‘the opening’ or start of kawih. It is selected based on the goong key (number in circle).
Panutup is ‘the ending’. (or ‘suwuk’ in Javanese)
Pancer is intermediate tone between two keys, e.g. between goong key and kenong key.

Figure 1: 60 cm with 6 hole Sundanese Suling

2Tuning and Notation

Kacapi uses degung notation. It is a subset of pelog 7 tone system (see Table 1).

Table 1: Sundanese Degung versus Javanese Pelog 7 Notation

Sundanese Degung                                         Javanese Pelog 7

1 (da)                                                                                 6

2 (mi)                                                                                 5

3 (na)                                                                                 3

4 (ti)                                                                                  2

5 (la)                                                                                  1

Note range, from lowest frequency to highest frequency is:

838281 trewq 54321 %$#@! 9594

Kacapi is tuned to match the 60 cm length suling tones. With this length, approximation for the tuning compared to western scale is:

54321 » A# B c# f f#

Figure 2 shows positions of each kacapi's string and its note number.

Figure 2: Tuning of Kacapi's Strings

3Key Positions

Legend:

3.1Position for key 5 (la)

Figure 3: Position for key 5 (la)

Pangkat for key-5 is: 32 1 5 5 g5

I and II are repeatable parts. 2nd pancer is not yet unknown due to unknown kenong key.

The sample music plays pangkat continued directly with I and then after slight silent, II is played.

3.2Position for key 4 (ti)

Figure 4: Position for key 4 (ti)

Pangkat for key-4 is .31 2 4 4 g4

Dashed circles are Position for key-5.

Similar to key-5, I and II are repeatable parts.

3.3Position for key 3 (ti)

Figure 5: Position for key 3 (na)

Due to rarely be used as goong key, the key-3 might have no pangkat at all.

The pancer is 2.

3.4Position for key 2 (mi)

Figure 6: Position for key 2 (ti)

3.5Position for key 1 (da)

Figure 7: Position for key 1(da)

4 Sekar Alit

Sekar Alit is a small accompaniment set for typical Sundanese songs (kawih). It contains several key sequences, and played repeatedly. It might have specific name, e.g. Catrik, Kulu-kulu, etc.

There are two types of Sekar Alit: two-keys and four-keys.

The two-keys:

Table 2: Sekar Alit accompaniments with two keys.

Name            Keys           Kawih Example(s)
Catrik             2 g5                Dareuda, Kalangkang
Kulu-kulu      5 g2                Angin Priangan, Satia
Lalayaran      3 g5

The four-keys:

Table 3: Sekar Alit accompaniments with four keys.

Name                         Keys                Kawih Example(s)
Cirebonan                    4 g5 1             Jeruk Manis
                                         g5
Balenderan                 4 g5 4
                                        g2
n.n                                1 g3 1              Nimang
                                         g4
n.n                               2 g4 2              Cinta
                                        g5
n.n                               3 g4 3             Élékésékéng
                                        g1

4.1Example: 'Catrik' 2 g5

Figure 8: 'Catrik': 2 g5

Catrik is the simplest form and the most widely used pattern when one starts learning degung.

The goong key is 5, thus we use pangkat for 5 and ending for 5 too. The kenong key is 2.

5-I and 5-II are part I and II of key 5. See: Position for key 5 (la)

2-I and 2-II are part I and II of key 2. See: Position for key 2 (mi)
5Pangkat Variations

Sometimes, we use different pangkat to give variations between different kawih.

For example:

Pangkat variations for key 5 (la): Variant 1, Variant 2 (click to hear)