 Newer styles of play have recently emerged, pushing the bounds of what the gandingan was traditionally used for. One type of play called kulndet requires players to perform highly dense, complicated rhythmic patterns upon the gandingan. This type of play unlike the olden (kamamatuan) style of gandingan playing requires assistants to hold the gongs to avoid long suspensions of sound. Because of the strenuous type of play, male musicians usually perform this style during contests held at weddings where players would demonstrate their virtuosity, considered a sign of masculinity, on the gandingan. During a gandingan contest, two expert gandingan players (pagagandings) would play a particular piece several times in rotation with each other. This type of play is said to have evolved from the spread of virtousic style on the agung.
