The instrument:
The Gadung is a melodic percussion instrument played with the hands. It is handmade from two deep drawn and hand hammered shells. The shells are nitrided (special heat treatment), which has a positive influence on the sound and rust resistance. The tones are tuned very precisely and have a unique resonant, magical sound.

The material:
The steel from which the Gadung is made has been personally selected by me and is of a different type of steel than that used by 99% of the other builders. Because I can choose my own sample, I can further develop the personal character of the Gadung. This also means that if you choose a Gadung, you have an instrument that is unique, because no one else uses this material! I choose my material carefully so that the instrument will sound at its best.

The scale:
I build the Gadung in several different moods, each with their own mood and feeling. As the player gains more experience in the various playing techniques, the possibilities of sound expression will deepen.

When choosing the scale of the Gadung, it is important to feel whether the scale and mood suit you. Often the connection with the instrument will become stronger the longer the Gadung is played, and the character of the instrument becomes more and more ‘own’. Because the instrument is made by hand, each instrument is unique.

440Hz or 432Hz?
Most Gadung instruments are tuned to A=440Hz. This means that the tuning is equal to the most common instruments we often encounter around us. Playing together with people on other instruments is therefore no problem. However, it is also possible – on request – to have a Gadung built that is tuned to A=432Hz. Playing together with instruments tuned to A=440Hz is then no longer possible! Much can be found on the internet about the harmonic properties of a 432 tuning;

“The frequency of 432 Hz is synchronized and harmonically related to the rhythm of the human heart, which beats 4,320 times per hour (72 beats per minute). The beating heart is also connected to greater cycles of time. The retrograde cycle of the stars moves at a rate of 1 degree every 72 years. This cycle goes around every 25,920 years, which is 432 times 60 (Figure 2). The number 432 is related to an even larger cosmological time frame according to mythology and the Sanskrit scriptures describing the Kali-Yuga cycle of time are 432,000 years.”

432Hz tunings are also commonly used in sound therapy. In consultation it is possible to tune a certain scale in 432Hz. The instrument is therefore always made on request, and therefore always has a longer waiting time.

• The scales in which the Gadung is available are:
• Aladdin                            C# / G# A C C# D# E F# G#
• Kurd8                               C# / G# A B C# D# E F# G#
• Amara / Celtic Minor    C# / G# B C# D# E F# G# B
• Hijaz                                 D# / G# A C C# D# E F# G#
• Gold Bear-7  (Integral)   E / B C D E F# G B
• Little Bear-7                    E / A B C E F# G B
• Polar Bear-7                    E / A B C E F# G A
• Mystic                               C# / G# A C# D# E G# B C#
• Pygmy                               F / A# C C# F G# A# C C#
• Aegan                                C# / F G# C C# F G G# C
• Bhinna8                            D# / A# C# D# E G G# A# B
• Raga Desja Tody             E / G# A# B D# F# G# A# B
• Romanikos                       C# / F# G# A C C# D# E F#

Also watch the different videos on my Youtube channel.