Java Mallets: Gamelan-Inspired Mallet Instrument for Kontakt

The instrument covers five instrument groups: Gender, Saron, Gambang, Gongs and Rebab, plus a Bowed category. The Gender articulations use metallophones with thin bronze plates over tuned resonators, played with mallets such as tabuh, hammer, rubber mallet, finger and brush. The Saron articulations use thicker bronze plates over a resonating frame, played with tabuh, yarn mallet, rubber mallet and knuckles.

The Gongs group includes kenong, bonang and gong ageng and kempul for the bass range. The Rebab articulations use a bowed string instrument with a drum-like body, recorded with metal and yarn strings in plucked and spiccato variations. Ombak simulation adds a detuned companion to each articulation, with control over the detuning amount and stereo width, for the chorus-like shimmer found in gamelan playing.

Sound Shaping provides envelope controls for attack and decay, along with an EQ, reverb and delay. Additional FX options include an octaver, drive, rotary and tremolo, so you can reshape the overall character of the instrument quickly.

The instrument includes 16 presets, each showing a different way of playing Java Mallets, which helps demonstrate how the articulations can be used to build textures.