INTRODUCTION
Dr. Mohd Hassan Abdullah
ENCHANTING THE CULTURE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHENTIC KOMPANG
PLAYINGBY
DR. MOHD HASSAN BIN HJ ABDULLAH
Head of Department
Department of Music
Faculty of Arts and Music
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Tanjong Malim, Perak
The Kompang in the Organological PerspectiveIn the Malay world,
the instrument is called the kompang by the Malay people who are
settled in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo Island, Singapore, the Riau
Archipelago, the eastern coast of Sumatra and in West Java.
However, the instrument is also called by different names, such as
the rebana, kumpang, terbang, bibid, babonan and kempling, by
different people from different places, and is categorized in the
rebana family in the Malay Archipelago. However, the term kompang
is the most well-known and widely used by the Malay people to
describe the instrument, particularly in the Malay Peninsula. Other
terms are also used, more rarely, by different ethnic groups in
different places; for example, the term terbang is used by some
players of Javanese ethnic origin. Some of the other terms used to
describe the kompang-like instrument may not be recognized by most
of the Malay people because these terms are very rare in daily
usage. A similar type of instrument is also known as the Rebana
Perak by players in the state of Perak.
Often, another Malay word is attached after the word kompang to
describe a particular condition or character that is associated
with the instrument, such as the place where the ensemble performs
or the type of the ensemble. For example, the instrument is called
the Kompang Ezhar by players in the Ezhar organization found in
many states on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The Kompang
Johor, the Kompang Selangor, and the Kompang Perak are the terms
used to describe the instrument played in the states of Johor,
Selangor, and Perak.
It is also important to note here that some Malay people use the
terms Kompang Ribu, Kompang Tiga, Kompang Tujuh, and Kompang Jawa
in their daily conversation. These are among the terms which refer
to the number of the players in the ensemble or who perform on the
instrument. The term Kompang Ribu (Thousand Kompangs) refers to a
kompang ensemble performed by a large group of players. Meanwhile,
the terms Kompang Tiga (Three Kompangs) and the Kompang Tujuh
(Seven Kompangs) refer to the small ensembles which consist of
three parts or only seven players in an ensemble. The term Kompang
Jawa is used to describe the kompang ensembles performed by players
of Javanese ethnic origin. It is found mainly in the state of Johor
and certain places in Selangor. There is also the term Main Kompang
(kompang playing) which is often used by Malay people to describe
kompang playing in the form of an ensemble performed for certain
occasions. Most Malaysians spell the word as kompang but other
spellings are found. For instance, The New Grove Dictionary of
Musical Instruments (1984:794) spells it as kumpang.The kompang is
a single-headed frame drum consisting of two main parts; the baluh
(frame) and the muka (head). The baluh is a frame made of tropical
hardwood carved into a circular shape. Some players called the
frame as balong. This is where the player holds the instrument. The
muka is the drum head made of animal hide skin (called belulang or
kulit), goatskin hide or cowhide depending on the type of kompang.
It is stretched over the frame and attached with small nails. A
piece of red lace made of cotton cloth, or a piece of copper about
1 centimetre wide is attached with metal tacks around the frame to
cover the edge of the head. The edge of the open end of the baluh
is called the bibir (lip). It is a curious name, given that this
part does not look like a pair of lips, but none of the players or
kompang makers that I interviewed could explain for sure why it is
called the bibir.
The structure of a kompangThe kompang is constructed in every
whole-inch diameter size from 6 inches to 15 inches inclusive.
However, the 12 inch and 13 inch kompangs are very popular and are
the ones most preferred by mature players for performances.
However, larger sizes may sometimes be made for other purposes such
as for decoration or as a gift. The smaller sizes are normally used
by young players in practice sessions because they are lighter in
weight than the bigger sizes. The 6 inch to 9 inch kompangs are
also sold as souvenirs for tourists.
Cross view of the baluh of a 13 inch kompangThe shallow-curved
frame, which is called the baluh of a kompang, is about 3 inches
deep with a thickness of about inch. Some kompangs are carved on
the outside of the frame with various patterns to make them look
beautiful and artistic. The open end of the baluh is always
constructed to be one inch less in diameter than the size of the
kompang. For example, the open end of the 13 inch kompang is 12
inches in diameter and the open end of the 12 inch kompang is 11
inches in diameter. The thickness and deepness of the frame for any
kompang is the same regardless of its diameter. Some kompangs are
entwined with a nylon string at the bibir to prevent the baluh from
cracking or breaking. Most kompangs are drilled with a small hole
in the middle of the baluh. The purpose of this hole is to tie a
string to the kompang so that it can be hung up when not in
use.TUNING
Being a non-pitch percussion instrument, the kompang is not
tuned to any standard pitch. Generally, every individual instrument
is slightly different in timbres and pitches. It depends on the
tautness and thickness of the head as well as the size of the
kompang. However, the kompang also needs to be tuned to the bunyi
yang betul (acceptable sound) before it is played. All the kompangs
used in an ensemble are tuned to a rough pitch as close as possible
to each other. For most traditional kompang players, the word
tuning means nothing to them. All they do before every performance
begins is insert a small piece of rattan (called sedak) inside the
baluh to tighten the membrane. This is an essential thing to do
before they sit in a group. Even though there is no standard tuning
set for the kompang, an experienced kompang player is able to tell
the bunyi yang betul of a kompang. The exact pitch is not very
important to the players but the bunyi yang betul of a kompang is
described as loud, penetrating, sharp and taut. In general, it can
be concluded that the bunyi yang betul of a kompang (the Kompang
Ezhar and Johor) ranges from c0 to g0 in inin in terms of standard
Western pitches. In this case, any kompang with the rough pitch
within the bunyi yang betul can be played together. Moreover, the
timbre of each kompang is also different from the others depending
on the thickness and tautness of the head. This is why they (the
players) claim that the beauty of the kompang ensemble derives from
the mixture of the various timbres of the kompangs performing
together.
Range of bunyi yang betul of a Kompang
PERFORMING TECHNIQUES
Unlike many other frame drums around the world, which
instruments are mainly played by tapping the head of the instrument
with the fingers of both hands or using sticks, the kompang is
instead beaten with only one bare hand. This is because the other
hand is used to hold the instrument. As the natural dynamic of
kompang playing is always loud, that is why the instrument is
beaten with the palm and not tapped with the fingertips. The
playing technique of the kompang is also different from the playing
techniques of the rebana in the Malay world, which is tapped with
both hands while the instrument is placed on the players lap. The
kompang is always held with one hand while the other is used to
beat it. The playing technique of the kompang is the same in
different areas. Generally, there are three different techniques of
holding the instrument adopted by kompang players.
First position of the holding technique of the kompangThe
kompang can be played left-handed as well as right-handed. The
first technique adopted by most players is to hold the instrument
with the left or right hand freely in the air while the other hand
is used to beat the instrument. In this position, the baluh of the
kompang is placed between the thumb and the fingers vertically. The
baluh is firmly grasped with the thumb pointed towards the inside
of the instrument and the fingers press the edge of the muka.
Almost all the players in the Kompang Perak ensemble use this
technique to support the weight of the instrument. This is because
the type of instrument used in this area is heavier than the
instrument found in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The
second holding technique position is where the player grasps the
baluh of the kompang from the middle-side with the left hand and
firmly holds the kompang vertically while the right hand beats the
head. Unlike in the first position, the fingers in this position
are bent inside the kompang to hold the instrument while the thumb
presses outside at the edge of the muka. This technique is only
used for the type of kompang with a bigger but shallower frame.
This technique is not widely used as compared with the first
position.
Second position of the holding technique of the kompangThe third
holding technique position is where the player grasps the far side
of the baluh with the left hand, the thumb inside the kompang. The
left hand fingers firmly grip the outside of the baluh. The kompang
is positioned against the left arm to support the weight of the
instrument while the right hand is used to beat the drum. This
position is popular among young players because it helps them to
keep hold of the heavy kompang while in performance. It is very
rare to observe adult players using this technique because it is
said to block the sound coming out from the bottom of the drum.
Third position of the holding technique of the kompang
The rhythm of kompang music is composed of only two different
timbres. According to the mnemonic system, the two timbres played
on the kompang are called bum and pak. Some kompang troupes in
different places replace bum and pak with mnemonic words ding and
prang. The timbre bum is performed by beating the instrument near
the edge of the muka with closed fingers. The fingers bounce
naturally, releasing the belulang to vibrate freely and produce a
sustained sound. This technique is also called pukul kuncup (close
beating) by the players in the state of Johor. The sound of the
timbre bum is perceived as low, softer and more settled as compared
with the timbre pak.
Mnemonic Bum
Mnemonic Pak
The timbre pak is produced by beating the kompang with the palm
at the middle of the muka. The fingers are opened and allowed to
bounce loosely to produce a flam-like sound. As the technique is
used, this beat is known as pukul kembang (open beating) by the
players in Johor. Unlike the timbre bum, this timbre pak is
produced by beating the instrument with a strong and powerful beat.
The sound is perceived as loud, high and penetrating. If the
kompang is used to accompany a song, all the players sing together
while beating the instrument. The beating techniques of the kompang
contrast with the playing techniques of the hand drum from the Arab
world such as riqq and darabukkah. The stroke dum (bum) of these
drums is produced at the centre of the drumskin and tak (pak) is
produced at the edge.Traditionally, the kompang is not a solo
instrument. It is always played in the form of an ensemble. It is
performed in groups either with legs crossed when sitting,
standing, or walking in procession. The position of the performance
depends on the occasion for which the ensemble is performing. The
sitting performance is given either on the floor or sitting on
chairs during a pre-wedding ceremony, which is on the night before
the wedding day and is called Malam Berinai. On this night, the
bride wears the traditional bridal costume and sits together with
the guests to listen to the kompang playing. In the sitting
position, the kompang players can be comfortable while performing
many songs from the religious text called the kitab berzanji (book
of verses). The kompang troupe will perform until late in the
night, while the cooks are preparing food for the following days
ceremony.
The kompang ensemble also performs in a standing position in
rows. This is usually done to entertain the guests or the bride and
the groom whilst they sitting on the dais during the wedding
ceremony. The same position for kompang performance is also used
when welcoming a very important person during their visit to a
certain occasion. Sometimes, the troupe will move around to perform
a beautiful formation while playing the kompang. The ensemble also
performs in the wedding procession. A group of kompang players play
the instruments and sing songs while walking in two or three rows
to accompany the bride and groom to the wedding chairs. It is also
used in procession on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad or the
Mauled Nabi. THE PUKULAN (Rentak)The music of the kompang ensemble
is composed of three or more different parts in a rhythmic pattern.
Traditionally, the complete set of the interlocking rhythmic
patterns in all types of kompang ensemble found in Peninsular
Malaysia is called the Pukulan (the beat). It is also known as the
Rentak by some kompang players. The term pukulan carries many
meanings in kompang playing throughout Peninsular Malaysia. In
general, the term pukulan (from the word pukul) means beating or
hitting something such as pukul kompang which means beating the
kompang. But, in the context of kompang playing in Malay society,
the term pukulan carries two different meanings. Firstly, the term
pukulan is used to refer to a complete set of rhythmic patterns
performed in a piece of kompang music. If this term is used to
refer to western beats such as Cha Cha, Rhumba, and Waltz, they
will be called the Pukulan Cha Cha (Cha Cha beat), the Pukulan
Rhumba (Rhumba beat) and the Pukulan Waltz (Waltz beat). As a
modern Malay musical term, it is called the rentak instead of
pukulan such as in Rentak Cha Cha, Rentak Rhumba and Rentak Waltz.
In this case, both terms carry the same meaning, but the term
pukulan is more acceptable than the term rentak in kompang playing
in Malaysia. This is because this term is widely used by the
kompang players. Some examples of the pukulan in the kompang
repertoire are the Pukulan Bertih (the Kompang Ezhar), the Pukulan
Berarak (the Kompang Johor) and the Pukulan Sariful Anam (the
Kompang Perak).
The Pukulan /Rentak/Beat (whole piece)
Pukulan Mula Pukulan Asas Pukulan Naik Pukulan Mati1st section
2nd section 3rd section etcetera
Example of the form of the Pukulan in the kompang ensemble
Secondly, the term pukulan is also used to describe the small
form of interlocking rhythmic patterns that make up a section of a
piece of kompang music. Specifically, the second meaning of the
term pukulan is widely used in the Kompang Johor ensemble and the
Kompang Perak ensemble. For this purpose, I will use the term
pukulan (underlined) for the second meaning of the term to
differentiate between these two meanings. For example, a complete
set of the interlocking rhythmic patterns (the first meaning of the
term pukulan) is made up of a combination of a few sections having
the small form of the pukulan. Every pukulan has its own name such
as the Pukulan Mula (introduction beat), Pukulan Asas (basic beat),
Pukulan Turun (descending beat), Pukulan Naik (ascending beat),
Pukulan Mati (ending beat), and Pukulan Hadi. Some of the pukulans
may be repeated many times in a piece. The number of times each
pukulan is repeated depends on the type of the pukulan and the
function of the performance. All types of pukulan (first meaning)
and pukulan (second meaning) will be discussed extensively in the
next three chapters, as I will analyze the repertoire of all the
types of kompang ensemble found in Peninsular Malaysia.
THE REPERTOIREKompang Ezhar
Types of pukulan in the Kompang Ezhars repertoire
Pukulan Hadrah Pendek
Pukulan Zapin/ Pukulan Tari Selendang
Kompang Johor
Figure 5a: Diagrammatic representation of the repertoire of the
Kompang Johor
A Structural form of the Pukulan Zikir to accompany many zikirs
in one performance
Red Lace
Metal tacks
Sedak
Muka
Baluh
Bibir
inch
12 inches
3 inches
13 inches
Pukulan zikir
Malay songs
Zikir (Arabic)
Pukulan Berarak
With vocal part
Without vocal part
Pukulan Naik
Pukulan Turun
Pukulan Naik
Pukulan Mati
Pukulan Asas
(Repeated until the end of the zikir)
Pukulan Mula
Pukulan Rentak
Pukulan Inang
Pukulan Asas
Others
Pukulan Joget
Pukulan Inang
Pukulan Zapin
Pukulan Silat
Pukulan Baru
Pukulan Rancak
Pukulan Hadrah Kepang
Pukulan Hadrah Pendek
Pukulan Hadrah
Pukulan Bertih
Types of Pukulan (Beat)
There are a few other types of kompang that are not discussed
here.
For more details about the playing techniques of Arab hand
drums, see Touma, Habib Hassan, (2003:47-49).
[email protected]