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Five facts about Surakarta’s musical landmark, Lokananta
Next time you're in Surakarta, pay a visit to the oldest recording studio in Indonesia: Lokananta.
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Historical music studio Lokananta is located in Surakarta, Central Java. (Kompas.com/Nur Rohmi Aida)
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urakarta is home to many tourist locations that are rich in history, including the Surakarta Palace, Ranggawarsito Museum and Batik Danar Hadi Museum.
A lesser known historical site, Lokananta, deserves a mention on the list.
Located on Jl. Ahmad Yani in Laweyan regency, Lokananta is a landmark location for Indonesian musical history. As compiled by kompas.com, here are a few facts about the seemingly normal yet utterly unique building.
1. It’s the first ever record label in Indonesia
Lokananta was founded on Oct. 29, 1956, making the establishment 63 years old. Its founders are Oetojo Soemowidjojo and Raden Ngabehi Soegoto Soerjodipoero, who at the time worked as local bank employees.
The name Lokananta, which translates to “gamelan from heaven”, was given by Indonesian athlete and songwriter Raden Maladi.
2. Many legendary Indonesian musicians launched their careers here
Famous musicians of the day recorded at Lokananta, including Gesang, Waldjinah, Titiek Puspa, Bing Slamet, Manthous and Sam Saimun. While the names may not be as recognizable today, their influence on the Indonesian music scene is undeniable.
3. It houses a large collection of vinyl records
Lokananta has a storage room filled with old vinyl records.
Since its inception, Lokananta has recorded music, but it also archives much of the music it produces. It primarily recorded in two forms, duplicating vinyl records and cassette audios, the former of which they store as historical records. Examples include collections from Waldjinah, Aneka Warna Orchestra, Kerontjong Tjendrawasih Orchestra and many more.
They also keep master copies of many songs, including the original national anthem “Indonesia Raya” with various stanzas.
Read also: Oldest recording studio hosts 'Indonesia Raya' exhibition
4. It operates a fully functioning vintage recording studio
A visit to Lokananta would not be complete without a visit to its legendary recording studio. The setup is still fully functional, with some modern artists like Glenn Fredly and White Shoes and the Couples Company having recorded there.
The audio quality is exceptional, with two standout pieces of audio technical history: the Trident Series 80B mixer and UREI 801 speaker, produced by audio pioneer James Bullough Lancing, can be found here. They are said to be among only a few of their kind ever created by Lancing.
5. It archives audio machinery from modern history
Lokananta has a dedicated room for a wide range of vintage audio engineering machines, such as a quality control machine and a pattern generator from 1980, a VHS video recorder from 1990 and even a power amplifier from 1960.
The collection goes on, and while the machinery looks almost ancient and boxy, it is very well preserved. Many can still be used today. (ayr/wng)
