Digital Angklung

The angklung is a musical instrument made of two to four bamboo tubes suspended in a bamboo frame and bound with rattan cords. The tubes are carefully whittled (carved with small incisions) and cut by a master craftsperson to produce certain notes when the bamboo frame is shaken or tapped. Each Angklung produces a single note or chord, so several players must collaborate in order to play melodies.

It is one of the most popular and common musical instruments found across Southeast Asia. It originated in what is now the West Java and Banten provinces of Indonesia and it has been played for many centuries. In 2010, UNESCO officially recognized the Indonesian angklung as a “Masterpiece of [the] Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.

Although to play Angklung, usually it requires several people with several instruments, which is quite hard to find outside its originating location. This application aims to simulate the feeling of playing angklung, so that everyone can enjoy the sensations of playing angklung without the actual instruments.