Slenthem
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Slethem is one of the gamelan instruments consisting of thin sheet metal width is strung with rope and stretched over the tube-tube and produce a low hum or echo that follows the tone saron, ricik, and balungan when beaten. Some have called it as a gender penembung. As with other instruments in a set of gamelan, slenthem certainly have slendro version and version pelog. Wilahan Slenthem pelog generally have a range of tones C to B, while slenthem slendro range tones C, D, E, G, A, C.
How to play slenthem the same as playing balungan, ricik, or saron. The right hand is used for hit and left hand do patet (ie resist vibrations that occur in sheet metal). In the playing slenthem more needed instinct or feelings of the players, to produce an echo or a good buzz. In the notation C, D, E, G for example, echoes that are produced when the tone C must be lost right now D tone sounded, and so on.
To date in slethem play, the way the same as those used as well as when using balungan, ricik, and saron. But for certain circumstances such as in the tone demung Imbal , then slenthem played to fill the void between a tone that sounded balungan slow to beat twice balungan beats. Or it could be on slenthem conditions must exist balungan beating and a half times as fast balungan being beaten, for example when gendhing Gangsaran the battle scene.
