Java Mallets

Unique Mallets with Indonesian Flavour

Java Mallets is an inspiring instrument that offers a collection of unique mallet sounds combined with a traditional Indonesian flavour. Because of its special character, it suits a lot of various styles of music.

Cinematique Instruments captured the traditional sound aesthetic of a Javanese gamelan orchestra in detail and interpreted it to fit their way of thinking about what they expect from instruments to make modern music with - and it doesn't matter if it's a cool movie score or a fine pop song. Each instrument is equipped with multiple articulations to provide a wide range of sound possibilities.

Features

• 16 Mallet Articulations - Cinematique Instruments have collected a ridiculous amount of single instruments, with each articulation containing related instruments being playable over several octaves so you can play them over the full range of the keyboard. Additionally, they played each of these groups with mallets they admire and felt fitting for the according to the instrument.
• 5 Bowed Articulations - Cinematique Instruments always enjoyed bowing things not supposed to be bowed so they seized the chance and bowed the Gender and the Saron. An instrument supposed to get bowed though is the rebab, which they recorded metal and yarn stringed. Since this has become a quite rough sounding collection, Cinematique Instruments complemented this category with a rubbed gong with a calming character.
• 4 String Articulations - In order to furthermore enrich the versatility of Java Mallets, Cinematique Instruments recorded a rebab metal stringed and a rebab yarn stringed. Each of them is a plucked and a spiccato variation.
• Ombak Simulation - Ombak is a technique in Gamelan music doubling an instrument with a slightly detuned companion creating a chorus-like shimmering effect. Appreciating this, Cinematique Instruments created such a companion for each articulation letting you control the amount of the detuning and the stereo width.
• Sound Shaping - Besides the regular tools such as envelope (attack, decay) there is an EQ, a reverb and a delay as well as additional FX options such as octaver, drive, rotary or tremolo. This is perfect to quickly change and shape the entire sound of the Java Mallets.
• 16 Presets - In order to show the versatility and possibility to build textures there are 16 presets available. Each one stands for a different way of playing the Java Mallets.
• Approx. 4,700 Samples
• 2.8 GB compressed

What is a Javanese Gamelan?

Gamelan is traditional ensemble music from Indonesia based around mallet instruments, most commonly metallophones. For Java Mallets, Cinematique Instruments were inspired by the Javanese style tradition which is characterized by a softer nature.

For a long time, Cinematique Instruments were been fascinated by the unique timbres the Gamelan offers and have been searching for a way to capture them to implement the sounds into our music.

How They Did It

Searching for an opportunity to record, Cinematique Instruments formed a cooperation with Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum and their curator Hartmut Zänder to record their exhibits. While the orchestra of the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum consists of instruments that were built around 1900, the private collection of Hartmut Zänder contains modern built instruments which bring new colours to Java Mallets.

Following the CI philosophy, Cinematique Instruments have developed a workflow to grasp beautiful sound aesthetics just like the Gamelan by positioning the microphones close to the instrument for an intimate sound. Additionally, Cinematique Instruments used all kinds of unusual mallets and playing techniques for versatile use.

Cinematique Instruments didn’t aim to portrait a Gamelan Ensemble in its traditional way but they wanted to open the way to make it accessible for all kinds of music. Therefore Cinematique Instruments tuned all articulation well tempered as well as combined different instruments with each other. As a result, Java Maltas is a harmonic and homogenous mallet instrument with a traditional Indonesian flavour.

These articulations combined with Cinematique Instruments' sound-shaping engine enable you to create a wide range of possibilities for your music reaching from all kind of mallets and keys over pads and almost synthetic soundscapes but always within the organic vibe of a Javanese Gamelan.

The Instruments

• Gender / 5 Articulations - This is a metallophone consisting of thin bronze plates suspended over tuned resonators. Cinematique Instruments played their gender instruments with Tabuh, hammer, rubber mallet, finger and brush. It mainly consists of a Slenthem in the bass, a Gender Barung in middle range and a Gender Panerus in the highs.
• Saron / 5 Articulations - This is a metallophone consisting of thick bronze plates placed over a resonating frame. Cinematique Instruments played their Saron instruments with Tabuh, yarn mallet, rubber mallet and knuckles. It mainly consists of a Saron Demung or Slenthem in the bass, a Saron Barung in middle range and a Saron Panerus in the highs.
• Gambang / 3 Articulations - This is an idiophone consisting of thick wooden plates placed over a resonating frame. Cinematique Instruments played the Gambang instruments with tabuh, hammer and rubber mallet.
• Gongs / 4 Articulations - This is a collection of several kettle gongs consisting of bronze placed over a resonating frame. Here, Cinematique Instruments offer an articulation of big kettle gongs called Kenong and small kettle gongs called Bonangs which are played with Tabuh, rubber mallet and knuckles. Each of them is enriched with a collection of Gong Ageng and Kempul for the bass regions.
• Rebab / 4 Articulations - This is a bowed string instrument with a drum-like resonance body. Cinematique Instruments offer a yarn stringed and a metallic stringed option each played plucked and spiccato.
• Bowed / 4 Articulations - For further sound design options, Cinematique Instruments bowed a gender, a saron and a rebab as well as they rubbed a big Gong Ageng.