Instrument Organlogy of Kulcapi Music

Abstract

This article reviews the organology of the traditional musical instrument Kulcapi in the Karo community. Organologically the music instrument is classified as a musical instrument because the strings are the primary source of the vibrator; the sound comes from the lines. Following its shape, Kulcapi is a lute musical instrument which has a neck, and its strings are parallel to its resonator box with other languages which are more detailed, categorized as the two-stringed fretted-necked lute. The Kulcapi instrument consists of parts that have functions and shapes interrelated with the form of Kulcapi as an instrument of traditional Karo music.

Furthermore, to play other melodies played following the main song melody, improvisation techniques are needed so that the resulting tune is not dull. The Kulcapi playing technique is traditionally placed perpendicular to the body, the left hand is positioned on the neck, the finger (except the thumb) pressing the string (the front collar of the front) while the thumb pressing on the neck, the back of the face, the right hand is placed, the index finger and the thumb holds the kuir-kuir (a type of guitar picking device that functions to pick the string of the guitar) while the other finger is positioned below the body of the body. The position of the body when playing Kulcapi is by sitting cross-legged, and half the clothes opened so that the tongs (resonator) can be directly attached to the abdomen of the Kulcapi player as a traditional technique of picking music in the Karo community.