Gendang beleq

Gendang beleq is a dance and music performance from Lombok island, Indonesia. It is a popular performance among the native Sasak people.

The name gendang beleq is a Sasak language term, which means "big drum (big gendang)", as the performance is about a group of musicians playing, dancing and marching with their traditional instruments, centered on two big drum (gendang) players.

Instruments

The ensemble for gendang beleq performance consists of main players with of two (occasionally four) large drums. They are followed by players using a gong, a traditional flute (suling), some hand-held kettle-gongs (similar with bonang), and many sets of cymbals. The size of the ensemble is usually 12–15 persons, with three people to carry and play the heavy gong.

The drum is made from a wood frame with goat skin drum-head. The wood is selected from woods which is hard yet light. The goat skin is selected from goats that are approximately 5 years old to make drums with the best sound. There are two different types of gendang used in the ensemble: the male and female gendang. Each is made from a male and female goat. These two types of gendang have different sound quality.