The technique used to play the gangsa is critical in the execution of kotekan parts. The wooden mallet used to strike the keys is held in one hand, leaving the other hand free to damp the key's vibration after it is struck. The motion of the damping hand therefore mirrors that of the playing hand, following it along as its shadow. Aside from the obvious necessity of flexibility in the wrist of the playing hand to assure rhythmic clarity and precision (and to be able to play smoothly during fast tempos), it is important that the damping technique be equally precise. The note must be sharply defined both in its attack - the exact moment in which it is struck and thereby placed rhythmically and in its disappearance as well, where another note or a rest will start. The reason is that the following note will often be in another part of the kotekan, performed by a different group of players. Any note which is allowed to ring too long will "bleed into" the following tone and obscure it a bit, resulting in a muddied sound; conversely any tone dampened too quickly will cause a slight gap or hole in the texture, which will create a disjunct or overly staccato effect.