Gamelan

Gamelan is an Indonesian indigenous “orchestra” largely composed of struck metalophones in the shape of gongs and slabs. Unlike the western usage of the term orchestra, however, the word gamelan refers to the instruments that make up the ensemble. Although similar ensembles may be found in other parts of southeast asia, gamelan are primarily the musical culture of Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok.

Three types of metal (or metallic alloys) are commonly used to make gamelan. In order of preference, a gamelan set may be made of bronze, brass, or iron-bronze is the most preferred. In addition to the choice of material, an owner’s wealth and taste may be factors in determining the number of instruments, how big or small each is to be, the motif of the decorative carvings, and the painting of the instruments. Traditional constraints, however, prevent individual preference from becoming bizarre personal expressions.

Although different gamelan may vary slightly in their tunings, all gamelan must be in one of two basic intervallic structures-namely, the 5-tones slendro or the 7-tone pelog. Neither of these tunings is compatible with the western music tuning system. For this reason, gamelan may sound “out-of-tune” to those with a deeply rooted sense of western tuning, causing reactions ranging from a pleasant surprise to perhaps complete dislike.