View source for Siter

{{short description|Indonesian musical instrument used in Gamelan}}
{{for|the [[Romania]]n village of Şişterea, called Siter in [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]|Cetariu}}{{Distinguish|text=Sundanese instrument [[Kacapi]] siter, with 20 uncoupled strings}}{{Distinguish|text=Sundanese instrument made of bamboo, celempung}}{{distinguish|text = the Indian instrument [[Sitar]], or the Persian instrument [[Setar]]}}
{{Infobox instrument
| name           = Siter
| names          = 
| image          = Traditional indonesian stringed instrument.jpg
| classification = *[[String Instrument]]
*[[Chordophone]]
| developed      = [[Indonesia]]
| range          = 
| related        = 
| musicians      = 
| articles       = 
}}

The Javanese '''siter''' and  '''[[celempung]]''' are plucked string instruments used in Javanese [[gamelan]]. They are related to the ''[[kacapi]]'' used in [[Sundanese people|Sundanese]] gamelan.

The siter and celempung each have between 11 and 13 pairs of strings, strung on each side, between a box resonator. Typically the strings on one side tuned to [[pélog]] and the other to [[slendro]]. The siter is generally about a foot long and fits in a box (which it is set upon while played), while the celempung is about three feet long and sits on four legs, and is tuned one octave below the siter. They are used as one of the elaborating instruments ([[panerusan]]), that play [[cengkok]] (melodic patterns based on the [[balungan]]). Both the siter and celempung play at the same speed as the [[Gambang (instrument)|gambang]] (which is rapidly).

The name "siter" comes from the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word "citer", which corresponds to the [[English language|English]] word "zither". "Celempung" is related to the Sundanese musical form [[celempungan|celempungan.]]Not to be confused with Sundanese celempung is a different instrument, made of bamboo and played by beating the bamboo strings cut from the bamboo skin.

The strings of the siter are played with the thumbnails, while the fingers are used to dampen the strings when the next one is hit, as is typical with instruments in the gamelan. The fingers of both hands are used for the damping, with the right hand below the strings and the left hand above them.

Siters and celempung of various sizes are the characteristic instrument in [[Gamelan Siteran]], although they are used in many other varieties of gamelan as well.
<gallery>
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Citer met 26 snaren onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-10.jpg|Celempung or siter in the collection of the Collection National Museum of World Cultures Foundation, Netherlands.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Music|Indonesia}}
* [[Gamelan]]
* [[Kethuk]]
* [[Bonang]]
* [[Gambang (instrument)|Gambang]]
* [[Music of Indonesia]]
* [[Music of Java]]

== External links ==
{{commons category|Celempung}}

* [http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Indonesian/Budaya_Bangsa/Gamelan/Javanese_Gamelan/counter-melody/siter.htm NIU page on the siter, with illustrations]
* [http://learningobjects.wesleyan.edu/vim/cgi-bin/instrument.cgi?id=35 Virtual Instrument Museum page on the celempung, with audio and video]

{{Gamelan}}
{{Zithers}}
{{Indonesian musical instruments}}

[[Category:Box zithers]]
[[Category:Panerusan instruments]]
[[Category:Gamelan instruments]]
[[Category:Indonesian musical instruments]]


{{zither-instrument-stub}}