Pelog

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Pelog

Pelog is a tuning system used in both Javanese and Balinese gamelan music. It provides an octave-repeating heptatonic scale, although the octave is usually stretched to compensate for the inharmonicity of the instruments.

In Javanese gamelan, the tones of pelog are numbered 1 through 7 (traditionally associated with body parts: 1 = head, 2 = neck, 3 = chest, 4 = groin, 5 = knees, 6 = feet, 7 = hands). Tuning varies considerably between gamelan, but on most modern Javanese sets one would encounter in the US the pairs 1-5, 2-6, and 3-7 are roughly fifths.

Traditionally, there are three pathet or modes of pelog. Pelog nem (or pathet nem) uses the tones 1 2 3 5 6 with an emphasis on either 6-2 or 5-1 depending on the piece (technically, depending whether the piece is emulating slendro manyuro or slendro songo). Pelog barang uses 2 3 5 6 7, usually emphasizing 6+2 or 3+7. Pelog lima is a sort of "odds and ends" for uses of the 1 2 3 5 6 scale that don't really fit into anywhere else. Definitions are somewhat fuzzy and may vary by gamelan master. The 4 tone is not often encountered, and some elaborating instruments lack the tone entirely.

Music

See also: Category:Pelog tracks

See also

• Slendro

Todo: expand