pengecap

Pengecap is a term used in Indonesian and Malay-language contexts with several related meanings, most commonly in music and publishing. In everyday usage, pengecap denotes a person who adapts a musical work for performance, typically serving as an arranger or musical editor. The pengecap may decide orchestration, tempo, and the distribution of parts, while the original melody and lyrics come from another creator, such as the pencipta (composer) and lyricist.

In some contexts, pengecap is understood as a music copyist or engraver—someone who prepares or transcribes music notation for publication or studio use. This use emphasizes technical preparation of scores rather than creative composition.

The exact scope of the role can vary by country, era, and tradition. In modern Indonesian popular music, credits may include pencipta, penata musik (arranger), and pengecap, depending on the producer’s labeling conventions. The term is less common in formal Western music terminology, where terms like arranger, copyist, and editor are standard.

Etymology and usage notes: The term is formed with the Indonesian agentive prefix pen- and the root related to “cap/arrange,” with meanings that have evolved through literary and musical contexts. Because usage can differ, it is best understood from the surrounding credits or explanations in a given source.

See also: pencipta (composer), penata musik (arranger), penyusun lirik (lyricist), copyist/engraver.