Siter

Overview

The siter is a small plucked zither used in Javanese gamelan music. It has thin metal strings stretched over a flat wooden box, and is played with the thumbnails of both hands. Although less prominent than the larger metallophones and gongs of the gamelan, the siter plays a distinctive role: it weaves a fast, ornamented line above the slower-moving melodic foundations.

Origin & History

The siter belongs to the family of “elaborating” instruments in the Javanese gamelan, which together provide melodic decoration around a central melody known as the balungan. The instrument’s origins are not precisely dated, but it has long been part of the Central Javanese ensemble tradition. Variants exist in different sizes and tunings, including the larger celempung, which is built on the same principle.

How It’s Played

The siter is placed on a low stand in front of the seated player. Strings are arranged in courses tuned to the slendro or pelog tuning systems used by the ensemble. The player plucks with both thumbnails, using the other fingers to damp the strings just plucked. This rapid pluck-and-damp technique produces clear, articulate notes and is essential to the instrument’s role as a decorating voice.

Cultural Significance

The siter is most often heard in classical Javanese gamelan performances accompanying wayang shadow puppet plays, court music, and dance. Its role is technically demanding: a skilled siter player must improvise fluent ornaments within the conventions of the piece while staying coordinated with the rest of the ensemble.

Related Instruments

• Gender – a Javanese metallophone elaborating instrument
• Celempung – a larger sister to the siter
• Kacapi – a Sundanese zither tradition
• Yangqin – a Chinese hammered dulcimer
• Gambang – a Javanese wooden xylophone elaborating instrument

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the siter a melody instrument or a decorating instrument?
It is a decorating instrument that improvises ornamented lines around the central gamelan melody.

How is the siter tuned?
In one of the two main gamelan tuning systems, slendro or pelog, with double strings tuned together for each note.

Is it the same as a celempung?
They share the same playing principle, but the celempung is larger and lower in pitch.

Image: photograph by fir0002, GFDL 1.2 (Wikimedia Commons).