Malaysia

Music of
 Capital City:
Kuala Lumpur
Official Language:
Bahasa Malaysia
Official Religion:

Malaysia
Sunni Islam
 Malaysia
REGIONS OF

Peninsular Malaysia
also known as West Malaysia
shares land border with
Thailand (north) and Singapore
(south)
consists of 11 states and 2
federal territories (Kuala
Lumpur and Putrajaya)
 consists of 2 states (Sabah and

Malaysia
Sarawak and a federal territory
REGIONS OF
of Labuan

Malaysian Borneo
also known as East Malaysia
less populated and less
developed than West Malaysia
land and maritime borders:
Brunei and Indonesia
maritime borders: Vietnam and
Philippines
 Malaysia
REGIONS OF

Malaysian Borneo
PAHANG STATE MOSQUE
in Kuantan Pahang
PETRONAS TWIN TOWER
in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Multi-racial
Multi-cultural

Multi-racial groups that

influence Malaysia's music
Malay Dayak
Chinese Kadazandusun
Indian Eurasians
Iban
 Malaysian Music
mostly played by a percussion group and is
based on either the pentatonic or
heptatonic scales.
has multi-cultural influence
Middle Eastern, Arab, and Islamic prayers,
as well as music from Southeast Asia,
Indonesia, and Europe, have inspired
Malay music.

Malaysia's music is most likely Pan-Asian

Pop.
 Types of Malaysian Music

1. Classical and Folk Music

Emerged during the pre-colonial

period and still exists in the form of
vocal, dance, and theatrical music.
 Types of Malaysian Music
2. Syncretic or Acculturated music

includes both native and foreign musical

and theatrical elements from Arabian, Persian,

Indian, Chinese, and Western

sources
Music developed during the post-Portuguese
period (16th century)
 Types of Malaysian Music
3. Popular music and contemporary
art music

both consist of Western music with

certain local elements.
Musical Ensembles
1. Agung and Kulintang
2. Kertok
3. Dikir Barat
4. Silat Melayu
 Agung and
Kulintang
a gong-based musical ensemble
commonly used in funerals and
weddings in East Malaysia
is similar to the Kulintang of the
Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia
 Kertok

a musical ensemble from Malay

Peninsula that consists of xylophones
played swiftly and rhythmically in
traditional Malay functions
 Dikir Barat
a type of musical form
isperformed by singing in groups and
often in a competitive manner usually
with percussion accompaniment or
sometimes without instruments at all.
 Silat Melayu
a form of martial art that is similar to t'ai chi
Originated in the Malay Peninsula since the
Christian era.
A mixture of martial arts, dance, and music
usually accompanied by gongs, drums and
Indian oboes.
 Malaysian Instruments
1. SERUNAI - AEROPHONE

Serunai is a wind instrument made out of wood and consists of seven holes on the upper
part and one hole at the bottom. It is often used in traditional performances like the
'Wayang Kulit' performance (Shadow Play), Menora (in Kelantan) or during the 'Silat'
(Martial Arts performance).
 Malaysian Instruments
2. GAMBUS - CHORDOPHONE

The gambus has four doubled gut strings, a solid body carved from a single piece of
wood, and a skin top. The head of the gambus is often ornately carved such as with the
instrument below that has a body of a bird with glass beads for eyes.
 Malaysian Instruments
3. REBAB - CHORDOPHONE

The rebab is a three-stringed instrument which is bowed. The hand-carved and highly
ornamented rebab gets its resonance from a membrane or skin which is stretched tightly
across the instrument's body. The bow is slack until the player creates tension by pulling
the hairs tight. The rebab is held vertically when played. The instrument is typically
bowed, but is sometimes plucked. It is one of the earliest known bowed instruments,
named no later than the 8th century, and is the parent of many bowed and stringed
instruments.
 Malaysian Instruments
4. GEDUK - MEMBRANOPHONE

The 'geduk' is a short, barrel-shaped, double-headed drum used in Malay folk music.
Cylindrical drums are generally referred to as geduk or 'klong'. The bodies of these
instruments are made from jackfruit, sena or merbau wood. Both sides of the drums are
covered with buffalo or cow hide.
 Malaysian Instruments
5. REBANA - MEMBRANOPHONE

The rebana is a tambourine that is used in Islamic devotional music in Malaysia. The sound
of the rebana often accompany Islamic ritual such as the zikir. The name rebana came
from the Arabic word robbana ("our Lord"). It is a single-head frame membranophone.
 Malaysian Instruments
6. ANGKLUNG - IDIOPHONE

This Angklung (the word means bamboo) is a musical instrument from Malaysia. It is made
of two bamboo tubes set into a bamboo frame. It is played by holding the base in one
hand and using the other hand to shake the instrument.
 Malaysian Instruments
7. KESI - IDIOPHONE

Finger cymbals are known as 'cing' or 'kesi' and consists of one or two pairs or small
cymbals, each about two inches in diameter and joined to each to other with a string.
 Malaysian Instruments
8. GENDANG - MEMBRANOPHONE

Gendang are Malay drums of varying sizes made out of cowhides or taut buffalo. It
means “drum”. The gendang labik is a double-headed drum; the player places the middle
section of the drum, where the body thins slightly, on the knees and strikes the
drumheads with the hands.
 Malaysian Instruments
9. CANANG - IDIOPHONE

Canang Gongs are one or two brass gongs suspended by ropes in a frame. The Canang
was inspired from the music and instruments of Indonesian Shadow Plays. When the
Canang is comprised of two gongs, each gong has a different tone.
 Sound of

Malaysian

Instruments
SERUNAI - AEROPHONE
GAMBUS - CHORDOPHONE
REBAB - CHORDOPHONE
 REBANA -

MEMBRANOPHONE
ANGKLUNG - IDIOPHONE
 GENDANG -
MEMBRANOPHONE
AGUNG AND KULINTANG

ENSEMBLE
KERTUK ENSEMBLE
DEKIR BARAT ENSEMBLE
SILAT MELAYU

ENSEMBLE
Chan Mali Chan
Chan Mali Chan
Bangau Oh Bangau
Bangau Oh Bangau
 REFLECTION

Malaysia is multi-cultural and multi-racial

Malaysian music represents various ethnic
groups.
Folk, classical, syncretic or acculturated
music, popular music, and modern art music
are the five genres of Malaysian music.
 REFLECTION
Malaysian music is deeply rooted to its
people.
Agung and Kulintang, Kertok,Silat Melayu
and Dikir Barat.
Malaysian music is mostly based on either
the pentatonic 5-tone or heptatonic 7-tone
scales.