ACTIVITY 1: Read

a. Traditional Malay Music

The musical genres in traditional Malay music include asli (‘original’, ‘traditional’), ronggeng,
inang and joget (music which typically accompanying social dances), dondang sayang (songs of
affection), keroncong (a type of folk music), zapin (music accompanying the zapin dance) and ghazal
(typically tied to themes of romance sung in poetic quatrains). Practitioners have shared that
characteristics of traditional Malay music from these various genres include the use of grenek-grenek,
which are trill signatures in compositions, and the use of cengkok which is the use of extended
melismatic notes (singing a single syllable text and carrying it through multiple notes). The lyrics of
traditional Malay music are usually set in Malay poetic forms – namely, the pantun, gurindam and
syair, which lends a distinct Malay form of cultural expression.
Malay musical forms are constantly under reinvention and assimilation, especially with regards
to stylistic experimentation and compositional variety. Various cultures, including Hindustani, Arabic,
Chinese, Javanese and Portuguese music have been fused into Malay music forms. Due to the
particular context and community for traditional music consumption in Singapore, traditional Malay
music ensembles here often do not specialise in any one particular genre or style and instead, embrace
various genres.

b. Communities Involved
Traditional Malay music is enjoyed by the Malay community and the wider community in
Singapore. Examples of traditional Malay music groups in Singapore include the Orkestra
Melayu Singapore (OMS), an ensemble that was formed by the People’s Association to promote
and preserve traditional asli music in Singapore. Their youth wing called OMS Belia, was formed
in 2004 to involve young Malay musicians who are passionate about traditional Malay music.
Orkes Sri Temasek and Orkes Sri Mahligai formed in 2011 and 2002 respectively, are also well
established orchestras in Singapore.
Traditional Malay music ensembles have close relationships with local Malay dance
troupes in Singapore, as they often provide the musical accompaniment for dance pieces.

c. Insights into Malay Langgam

We are certainly no stranger to Malay langgam that is sung in various places or events. We
must realize and know that Malay songs also have certain types as we often with radio and
television. Each Malay song has its own tempo, some are fast, slow and medium tempo. Fast
tempo is classified as Malay songs that have a dance rhythm, slow tempo Malay songs that are
rhythmic langgam, dondang sayang and zapin. A medium-tempo Malay song is like a rentak mak
inang song. In singing Malay songs that need to be considered is the clove or rhythm in singing
songs.

d. Malay Artists
Malay artists who always perform singing Malay songs in the Riau Islands, are still not
very famous in Indonesia, only limited to the Riau Islands area, such singers as from
Tanjungpinang namely Suhardi.S, Atik, in Batam there is Kamelia. While the artist whose song
has been famous for a long time until now is Ramli, Syaid Efendi with his famous song “Seroja”,
“Di ambang sore”.
Our country's artists who sing Malay songs and are already famous nationally and are able
to make several record albums that are also popular with other countries, namely:
- Iyet Bustami (Riau)
- Tiar Ramon (West Sumatra)
- Darmansyah (Riau)
- Yan Yuned (North Sumatra)
- Rosnidar Darwis (North Sumatra)

e. Associated Social and Cultural Practices

Traditional Malay music can be traced back to the 19th century, where historic texts
mention nobat (the royal orchestra that performs during coronation).
The asli genre is the basic idiom of traditional Malay music. Asli is often referred to as old
traditional or semi-traditional music style or performance. It is said to be derived from the
dondang sayang genre, with fixed lyrics. However, the performance is delivered in a highly
improvised manner through the cengkok (melismatic notes) and subsequently the grenek (the
ornamented style). In asli laggam, the melody is sung in unison with the violin throughout the
 performance of a song. In this genre of music, the violin is the most important instrument and is
accompanied by an accordion or harmonium, knobbed gong, gendang (two-headed drum), rebana
ubi (the largest drum in the rebana family of drums), seruling (bamboo flute) and bass guitar.
The ronggeng, inang and joget are genres of music that traditionally accompany a social
dance and the singing of pantun. It is performed typically with the violin, accordion, rebana
(drum) and brass knobbed gong. Although these three genres have differing rhythmic and
melodic patterns, the inang and joget are usually played at a faster tempo.
The dondang sayang (songs of affection) genre is sung by two or more singers in pantun.
The singers pit their wits against one another through cajoling or teasing repartee, where the
singers sing in response to one another. This is sometimes improvised. The lyrics often follow
the themes of the various dimensions of social life, such as romance, advice or wisdom. The
instruments that accompany the vocals are the violin, rebana (drum), accordion or harmonium, a
single knobbed brass gong and tambourines.
The keroncong is believed to have Portuguese and Indonesian origins. The common
instruments associated with it are the ukulele and string guitar, seruling (bamboo flute) or the
Western flute, banjo or bass banjo, cello or violin, western double bass, rebana ubi, and the
accordion.
The ghazal genre is sung in poetic quatrains and is usually linked to the themes of
romance. It is commonly associated with Johor, Malaysia, and is believed to have origins in the
Middle East. The vocalist will first start singing a line, before the ensemble plays the melody.
The harmonium, gambus (short-necked lute), violin, guitar, tabla (pair of Indian drums),
tambourines and maracas are the instruments commonly used in this genre.
The zapin is also associated with Johor, with roots in the Middle East. Instruments used for
this genre include the gambus (short-necked lute) or oud (lute), marwas (two-sided hand drum),
violin, accordion, rebana ubi, seruling (reed flute) and tenawak (gong). Zapin begins with the
improvisation of the oud or gambus and closes with a contrasting rhythmic pattern called kopak.
Various experimental and fusion-jazz ensembles that draw inspiration from these genres
have been formed in the last few by young musicians conversant in both Malay traditional music
styles and Western compositional methods and techniques. One example is Nusantara Arts, a
collective ensemble of musicians who assimilate influences and instruments of the Malay
Archipelago (such as the keroncong, cello, serunai and accordion) into jazz and acoustic folk
styles. Another group, the Bhumi Collective, produces works that synthesises the spirit of
traditional Malay music and dance together with experimental theatre.
(Source:https://www.roots.gov.sg/en/ich-landing/ich/traditional-malay-music)
ACTIVITY 4: Read
Malay Traditional Musical Instruments
a. Category of Malay Musical Instruments
 Aerophone : is a musical instrument that produces sound primarily by causing a body of
air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membrane. such as fife, pinai and flutes.
 Membranophone : is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by way of
a vibrating stretched membrane. It is one of the four main divisions of instruments in the
original Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification. the kicks may be made
by hand or by an instrument such as a beater. kompang, tambourine and drum sit in this
category.
 Idiophone : is any musical instrument that creates sound primarily by the vibration of the
instrument itself, without the use of air flow. Among the popular Malay traditional
musical instruments in the form of idiophones is the gong. Two popular traditional
instruments for the chordophone are the fiddle and the gambus.
 Chordophones : are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when
a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.

b. Malay music instrument

 Gambus

The first typical Riau musical instrument which is still widely played by local
residents is the gambus. This traditional musical instrument that is played by picking has
a shape like a mandolin. Even so there are differences in the strings. Where the strings
 contained in this stringed musical instrument are as many as 3 to 12. For the people of
Riau themselves this traditional musical instrument is usually used as a medium to
accompany typical Middle Eastern songs.

 Taumborine ubi

This traditional Riau musical instrument belongs to the percussion type. That's
because the Tambourine Ubi is played by being hit by hand. For its own size, this
traditional Riau musical instrument is much larger than the fiddle in general, I'm sure the
smallest diameter can reach 70 cm with a height of 1 m. In fact, the size of this musical
instrument is so large that people will hang it horizontally to make it easier to store it. In
ancient times this tambourine yam musical instrument was used as a means to
accompany information, weddings and announcements of activities.
 Kompang

This traditional Riau musical instrument has a shape like a rose. However, there
are differences in the material. Where Kompang is made of wood and animal skin. It is
said that according to history, this typical Riau musical instrument was able to enter
Indonesia because it was brought by a Muslim Indian trader who entered Malay lands
during the time of the Malacca sultanate. But keep in mind when you play the instrument
don't hit it too hard. Because if you hit it too hard it can cause the nails in the kompang
to come off.
 Terawak
The terawak is also a typical Riau musical instrument which is still widely played
by local residents. The musical instrument, which has a shape similar to a gong, is
generally served separately between mother and child. Then to play it must be hit using a
special tool. In Riau province itself this instrument is often used as a medium to
accompany traditional theatrical events such as Kelantan leather puppets, Menorah and
Mak Yong.
 Accordion

This traditional Riau musical instrument which has a shape like a piano needs to
be carried on the chest to play it. After that the person playing it needs to blow while
pressing the buttons on the accordion according to the tone you want to produce. It
should be noted that this traditional Riau musical instrument is the result of the influx of
foreign cultures. It is said that historically this musical instrument was created by
Christina Fried who was an artist from Berlin in 1822.
 Marwas

Marwas is also included in the traditional Riau musical instrument which is still
widely played by local residents. As for how to play it yourself, it's fairly easy, sure you
just need to tap it. As for the material, this musical instrument is made of goat skin,
cempedak, wood and rattan as a binder. For the people of Riau themselves, this musical
instrument is often played in the Zapin dance.
 Calempong

This percussion type musical instrument is made from the basic material in the
form of metal with a total of 6 pieces. The 6 metals will later be arranged in a row from
high to low in a long wooden box that has been carved on the outside. The Calempong
box itself has a function as a sound resonance when it is hit.
 Fiddle

For the Malay community, the fiddle itself is a stringed musical instrument as well
as a traditional one. Based on the story, this typical Riau musical instrument used to
come from the Middle East brought by traders. That way it can be concluded that this
musical instrument actually comes from outside. Even so, in playing the typical Riau
Rebana musical instrument, it has its own color and is different from its country of
origin.
 Trumpet

Trumpet is a traditional musical instrument typical of Riau province which at first

glance looks similar to a trumpet. It's the same as the trumpet to play it you just need to
blow it. For the people of Riau, this trumpet musical instrument has many functions. The
several functions of the Trumpet musical instrument are as follows. Functions as a
melody that is used to determine silat movements in Riau province. Serves to accompany
traditional Riau dances. In the royal era, this musical instrument used to serve as an
accompaniment to the coronation of kings and nobles.

 Genggong

The characteristics of this typical Riau musical instrument are that it has a thin
shape with a small size. In addition, this instrument also has several types, the way to
play it is different from one another. As for how to play this instrument, such as being
hit, pulled and picked. As for the material itself, this instrument is made from palm
fronds whose outer skin has been taken. Meanwhile, the sound comes from the body of
the musical instrument.