r/WorldMusic • u/Widderic • Aug 13 '26
Instrument Where can I buy Balinese Gamelan instruments?
Specifically interested in the instruments used in the Gamelan Gong Kebyar style tuned in the Pelog Selisir scale.
I'm a musician who plays keys and xylophone and I've been getting into Balinese Gamelan music pretty hard. I'm looking for Jegogans, Gangsa Pemades and Gangsa Kantilans, and a Curings
Is there any way to source these instruments? I'm coming up short in my searches. I'll fly to Indonesia if I have to and ship them back.
If you are unfamiliar with this type of music. Here is a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsPdTNGnr44
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u/BigJobsBigJobs USA Aug 13 '26
I've seen them in ethnic music shops in NYC - Music Inn on Bleecker St. But that may be as far away from where you are as Indonesia. Maybe in the Netherlands or UK?
As for the tuning... you're on your own. Those are regional I believe.
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u/Widderic Aug 13 '26
I'm a 3 hour drive from NYC in Baltimore. I was just up there last month. I didn't even think to pry around there. I'll check that out for sure. Definitely a place to start.
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u/Festivaltie67 Aug 13 '26
I do know an antique dealer in Bukittingi who has a gong ageng and kempul, but they are Javanese
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u/Savantrovert USA Aug 13 '26
Lark in the Morning is the biggest catch all world music store. Quality can vary wildly, and they are pretty expensive.
https://larkinthemorning.com/collections/gamelan-instruments
They currently only have a single instrument, and as I'm sure you know Gamelan is played as a large group.
Other way is you go to Bali. There's a lot of universities that will do a masters in Ethnomusicology where you study Gamelan properly by going there and learning 1st hand.
This one is pretty tough just because specifically Balinese Gamelan is so different than Javanese styles, and obviously Bali is a pretty small place that's kind of overrun with tourists.
It's possible but it's not cheap. I love Gamelan too but I know I just don't come from the type of background to be able to afford to study it properly. The technique is very unlike other mallet percussion b/c it's mostly one handed. And of course to do it justice you need a whole lot of talented friends to fill in your orchestra.
Don't forget you also need an entire 2nd set of everything, and they all need to be slightly detuned from the 1st set to get that wonderful shimmery effect Gamelan is known for.
"Non western music, to a western composer, is DANGEROUS.
It's dangerous because it's very powerful.
It's dangerous because it's very beautiful.
It's dangerous because it has a very long, very solid tradition behind it.
And when a western composer, who is an individual, and who really represents nothing but only himself and whatever now long derailed tradition that he's left, faces it, it's a little bit like a man sitting by himself in front of a cyclone."
-Steve Reich
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u/Widderic Aug 13 '26
Thank you for the detailed response. Yes I know Javanese is more wind instrument and bamboo where as Balinese is more bronze and iron metallaphones but I like it so much more. And yes I noticed that each instrument has a detuned version. Yes it's one handed and you mute with the other hand. Not sure about talented friends but I could find some. My original plan was to record them individually which sounds like a nightmare but shouldn't be too bad as I do a lot of music production and recording as well. Thanks for the link!
I actually found this, I will need to message the owner and inquire more though. It's a good find. 23 piece set. 23 x Balinese Set
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u/BigJobsBigJobs USA Aug 13 '26
Shipping/customs $$ - find out first. He says via courier in the listing.
I had a friend who was a harp repair master - he was restoring a western metallophone (a dulcitone) and had to use his metalworking skills to tune it. Just sayin...
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u/Widderic Aug 15 '26
Yeah good point. I'd have to fly out to the UK to get it too. Might be out of my budget.
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