Sampak

In Javanese gamelan music, the sampak is one of the gendhing structures derived from the wayang repertoire. A sampak often follows a srepeg. It is the fastest of the wayang structures.

The colotomic structure is:

::NNNNNNNN NNNNNNNN::TPTPTPTP TPTPTPTP

with both lines played together, and T indicating a stroke of the kethuk, P the kempul, and N the kenong. The kenong and kempul always play the seleh. It does not use the kempyang.

Gongans are of varying length, usually two, three, or four gatras, based on a signal from the kendhang. The ending (suwuk) can occur at any point in the cycle, given the cue from the kendhang or kepyak, and consists of a gatra played after the gong. The melodic shape of a sampak is distinctive, as the gatras are repeated notes in the pathet. It is played in irama lancar.

Example

Sampak pélog barang:

:2222 3333 7777:7777 2222 6666:6666 3333 2222:Suwuk: xx22

This sampak has three gongan. The signal to end can come at any gong, where the player plays the next two notes as normal, and then 22 (as indicated by xx22).

References

* Neil Sorrell. "A Guide to the Gamelan". London: Faber and Faber, 1990. Page 70.