🎼 Opening
Have you ever heard a gamelan performance?
For some people, it’s just traditional music. But for the Balinese, it shares a deeper story. It’s a part of their daily life, part of the ceremony, beliefs, and the soul of Bali.
And today, that ancient melody is trying to survive in the vast modern world.
Let’s hear the story.
Hello and welcome to The Southeast Asia Desk Weekly Dispatch Podcast. I’m Rheza Ardiansyah, and this is where we slow down the headlines and make sense of the stories shaping our region.
🌱 The Story
To understand gamelan, we have to start with what it really is.
Gamelan is a traditional ensemble of musical instruments found all across Indonesia, mainly in Bali and Java. But in Bali, gamelan is not just a performance art. It’s present in almost every important moment of life. From religious rituals to sacred dances and ceremonies. From temple anniversaries — also known as odalan, to cultural celebrations and community gatherings.
In other words, gamelan does not just live on a stage. It lives in human society. And the sound itself reflects that. It’s fast, dynamic, and energetic. Built not around a single lead musician, but around cooperation.
On their own, these instruments are incomplete, but together, they create harmony.
This reflects a core Balinese philosophy known as menyama braya — the idea of brotherhood, togetherness, and collective responsibility.
Gamelan — in this sense — is not just music.
It’s a social system.
🏙️ The Challenge
But here comes the problem.
Traditional culture today exists in the middle of rapid changes. Urbanisation, global pop culture, digital entertainment, and shifting lifestyles.
In big cities like Jakarta, preserving traditional arts is no longer simple.
This is where communities such as Gamelan Tantular come in. Based in the middle of Indonesia’s capital, Gamelan Tantular tries to keep Balinese gamelan alive — not just as a heritage but also as a living practice.
Their goal is simple: Make gamelan accessible across all ages, professions, and backgrounds.
But learning the music is not easy. Unlike other types of music, there are no standard sheet notes.
For people without a musical background, this can be intimidating. And for younger generations raised on digital platforms, it almost feels impossible.
📱 Micro Learning: A Digital Bridge
Through a collaboration between the School of Design at BINUS University and the Gamelan Tantular community — supported by a national innovation grant — a new approach was introduced.
Micro learning videos. Short. Focused. Two to three minutes each.
Instead of long rehearsals or formal classes, learners can now access small pieces of gamelan knowledge through their phones.
In total, five core micro learning videos were created for beginners. And more than 360 additional videos documented full gamelan performances.
The idea is simple. Break down something complex into something approachable, repeatable, and accessible.
Not to replace tradition but to support it.
This way, anyone can learn anytime, anywhere, at their own pace.
🌏 What This Means for Southeast Asia
This story is not just about gamelan. It’s about how Southeast Asia preserves culture in the digital age.
Across the region, many traditional arts face the same challenge. They are rich in meaning, but difficult to transmit. That’s because they rely on embodied knowledge and community practice.
No…I’m not saying those are bad; what I’m trying to say is that micro learning shows that technology doesn’t always erase tradition. Sometimes, it can help preserve them.
It allows traditional practices to be documented, systematised, and shared without losing their essence.
More importantly, it helps bridge a growing gap. Between generations, old-fashioned knowledge and urban life, and between heritage and habit.
🎙️ Closing
Gamelan has survived for centuries. Not because it stayed the same. But because it adapted. From temple courtyards to studios. From memory to digital screens.
And maybe that’s the real lesson here.
Tradition doesn’t just disappear because the world changes. It disappears only when we stop finding new ways to carry it forward.
I’m Rheza Ardiansyah, and this has been The Southeast Asia Desk Weekly Dispatch Podcast — where we slow down the noise and follow the region’s compass.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter at thesoutheastasiadesk.com. And join us again next weekend, for stories to linger over, one weekend at a time.
