#Gender February 25

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Today’s contribution to the 30-Day Musical Instrument Coach4aday Challenge is on the GENDER.

A gendèr is a type of metallophone used in Balinese and Javanese gamelan music. Javanese music plays a big historical role in all types of societal issues including religious, political, and economic.

Facts

This instrument can have 10 to 14 metal bars that are each tuned. They are struck with a pair of mallets. The ends of those hammers are round balls that have been padded. One skill or technique that must be used is to not only hit the metal bars but to soften the notes just played. That softening technique is sometimes accomplished by the pinky finger and not the mallet.

Video

Here is a short example of the sounds the Gender emits.