Gamelan is the traditional music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese people in Indonesia. It is played using many percussion instruments, such as metallophones (instruments with metal bars played with mallets) and hand drums called kendang, which keep the rhythm. Other common instruments include the kemanak, a banana-shaped instrument, and the gangsa, another metallophone. In Javanese gamelan, xylophones, bamboo flutes (similar to the Indian bansuri), a bowed string instrument called the rebab (like the gadulka of Bulgaria), and a zither-like instrument called the siter are also used. Vocalists, called sindhen for women and gerong for men, may also perform.

Although modern music has made gamelan less popular, it is still respected and used in many traditional ceremonies. It is also performed at cultural, corporate, government, or educational events, both formal and informal. Gamelan music has been part of religious rituals, dance theater, wayang puppet shows, festivals, and other celebrations. Many people believe gamelan is an important part of Indonesian culture.

In 2014, the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture recognized gamelan as part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage. On December 15, 2021, UNESCO added gamelan to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition highlights gamelan's connection to the Borobudur temple and its role in building national identity and pride. It also notes gamelan's benefits for mental health, social skills, and its connection to beliefs about the universe and values of respect. The listing includes gamelan traditions from Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, West Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, Lampung, and West Sumatra. UNESCO encourages efforts to protect, teach, and promote gamelan through festivals, school programs, and sending experts to universities worldwide.

Etymology

The word "gamelan" comes from the Javanese word "gamel" (ꦒꦩꦼꦭ꧀) in the ngoko register, which means the act of playing percussion instruments or striking with a mallet, combined with the noun-forming suffix "-an." In Sundanese, the word for gamelan is "Degung" (Degung), an older term that refers to gongs and gong ensembles. Because of this, "degung" and "gong" are synonyms for "gamelan." The phrase "gamelan degung" may describe a gamelan ensemble tuned to the degung scale. The term "karawitan" (ꦏꦫꦮꦶꦠꦤ꧀) refers to classical gamelan music and performance traditions. It comes from the Javanese word "rawit" (ꦫꦮꦶꦠ꧀), which has Sanskrit origins and means "intricate" or "finely worked," describing the smoothness and elegance valued in Javanese music. The word "pangrawit" (ꦥڠꦫꦮꦶꦠ꧀) means a person who possesses this quality and is used as an honorific when speaking about respected gamelan musicians. In the krama register of Javanese, the word for gamelan is "gangsa" (ꦒڠꦱ), which may come from the words "tembaga" (ꦠꦼꦩ꧀ꦥꦒ) and "rejasa" (ꦫꦗꦱ), referring to the materials used in bronze gamelan (copper and tin), or from "tiga" (ꦠꦶꦒ) and "sedasa" (ꦱꦼ𝘥ꦱ), referring to the proportions of three and ten.

History

The gamelan came before the Hindu-Buddhist culture that was common in Indonesia in early records. This makes gamelan an art form that originally belonged to the people of Indonesia. Unlike other art forms that had strong influence from India, the only clear Indian influence in gamelan music is in the singing styles of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese people. It also appears in the stories of shadow puppet plays called Wayang kulit and Wayang Golek.

In Javanese mythology, the god Sang Hyang Guru created the gamelan in the year 167 of the Saka calendar (about AD 230). He ruled Java from a palace on Maendra mountain in Medang Kamulan (now Mount Lawu). He needed a way to call the gods and invented the gong. For more complex messages, he made two more gongs, forming the first gamelan set.

The earliest picture of a musical group is found on the 8th-century Buddhist monument of Borobudur in Central Java. The musicians there played stringed instruments like lutes, drums called kendang, flutes called suling, cymbals, bells, metallophones, and xylophones. Some of these instruments are part of a full gamelan orchestra. These carvings show an ancient form of gamelan.

The instruments evolved into their modern form during the Majapahit Empire. Records from the Majapahit period, such as the Nagarakretagama and Kakawin Sutasoma, mention that the kingdom had a government office responsible for overseeing the performing arts, including gamelan. This office managed the creation of instruments and planned performances at the royal court.

In Bali, there are gamelan selonding sets that have existed since the 9th century during the reign of Sri Kesari Warmadewa. Some names for gamelan selonding appear in ancient Balinese writings. Today, these sets are preserved in temples and used in religious ceremonies, especially during major events. They are important to the daily lives and culture of some villages in Karangasem Regency.

In the courts of Java, the oldest known gamelan ensembles are Gamelan Munggang and Gamelan Kodok Ngorek, which date back to the 12th century. These sets formed the basis of a "loud style" of music. These gamelans are still kept in the courts and are considered heirlooms. They are only used for royal rituals, such as coronations, weddings, and celebrations.

In the Wengker or Ponorogo culture, gamelan reyog was used not only to accompany the Reog Ponorogo dance but also during wars. In the 15th century, troops led by Ki Ageng Surya Alam from Kutu village played gamelan reyog before fighting against the Majapahit kingdom, which was allied with Demak. The Wengker people believed their victories were linked to the gamelan set owned by Ki Ageng Surya Alam.

A "soft style" of gamelan music developed from the kemanak tradition, which is connected to singing Javanese poetry. This style is similar to the music that accompanies the modern bedhaya dance. By the 17th century, the loud and soft styles blended, leading to the many different gamelan styles found in Bali, Java, and Sunda today. Despite these differences, many instruments, techniques, and ideas are shared between the styles.

In the Sultanate of Cirebon, on the north coast of Java, the gamelan Sakati in the Keraton Kasepuhan was given as a gift from the Demak Sultanate in 1495. It was presented to celebrate the marriage of Ratu Mas Nyawa, daughter of Raden Patah, to Prince Bratakelana. This gamelan is tied to the early spread of Islam in Java by the Wali Sanga. It is played during the Idul Adha month in the Sri Manganti building when the sultan and family visit the Grand Mosque. It is now kept in the Museum Pusaka Keraton Kasepuhan Cirebon.

In Lamongan, East Java, there is an ancient gamelan called Gamelan Singo Mengkok from the 15th century. It was created by Sunan Drajat, one of the Wali Sanga, to spread Islam in Paciran. The gamelan was used to accompany religious songs called tembang Pangkur, which included verses from the Qur’an. This set reflects the blending of Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic traditions, as it was accepted by the local Hindu community. It is now stored in the Museum Sunan Drajat in Lamongan.

In the Islamic Mataram kingdom, two gamelans were made: Gamelan Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Sari in 1566 and Gamelan Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu in 1642. Both were created during the reign of Sultan Agung and are called Gamelan Sekati. These sets are only played during the Sekaten ceremony, which happens once a year near the Grand Mosque in Surakarta and Yogyakarta. They are played by the royal family and court members under strict rules, wearing traditional clothing and performing sacred music. Each court has half of the set, with the other half in the other court.

In Sumedang, West Java, there is a gamelan called Gamelan Panglipur, made for Prince Rangga Gede/Kusumahdinata IV, who was also a regent of Mataram. He created the set after the death of his child. This gamelan, along with nine others, is kept in the Museum Prabu Geusan Ulun in Sumedang Regency. One of the sets, Gamelan Sari Oneng Parakansalak from Sukabumi, was used to celebrate the opening of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on March 31, 1889.

On September 5, 1977, a piece of Javanese gamelan music called Gending ketawang puspawarna, created by Mangkunegara IV, was sent into space by NASA’s Voyager I and Voyager II satellites. These satellites study planets in outer space. Each satellite carried a gold-plated copper disc with a 12-inch diameter. The discs contain messages from Earth for any extraterrestrials who might find them.

Instruments

A gamelan is a musical group made up of many different instruments, including metallophones, xylophones, flutes, gongs, voices, and bowed or plucked strings. A hand-played drum called kendang controls the speed and rhythm of the music, as well as the changes between different parts of a piece. Another instrument gives musical signals to show when a section of the music begins or ends.

In the courts of Java, Javanese gamelan is divided into two groups: gamelan Pakurmatan and gamelan Ageng. Gamelan Pakurmatan is used for special events in the royal court and is considered sacred. It includes four types: gamelan kodhok ngorek, gamelan monggang, gamelan sekati, and gamelan carabalen. Gamelan Ageng is the most complete type of gamelan in the Javanese court. These instruments are usually owned by the public, such as artists, schools, studios, and communities in Java and outside Java. Gamelan Ageng is used to accompany performances or rituals in palaces or public places. It can be played with all the instruments or with fewer ones.

A complete Javanese Gamelan Ageng Ensemble kept by the royal court includes:

• Typical Javanese Gamelan Instruments
• Kempul
• Gong Ageng
• Kenong
• Bonang
• Demung
• Saron
• Peking
• Gendèr
• Slenthem
• Kendang
• Bedug
• Gambang
• Kethuk / Kempyang
• Celempung
• Siter
• Rebab
• Suling or Seruling
• Kemanak
• Kecer
• Keprak

In Bali, gamelan instruments are stored together in a building called a balé, which has a roof and open sides. These instruments are owned by a banjar (community), nobility, or temples and kept in their own areas. When a banjar owns the instruments, they are stored together because the community believes the instruments belong to everyone, not to any one person. This space is also where the sekaha (gamelan orchestra group) practices. The open walls allow music to be heard by the community outside. Balinese gamelan music cannot be played inside closed rooms because it is too loud and can cause discomfort. This rule does not apply to small groups, like gamelan gendér.

The sekaha is led by a single teacher who creates new music for the group. When making a new piece, the teacher guides the group during practice and helps them develop the music together. The teacher leaves space for the group to add their own ideas, so the music is created as they practice. Balinese gamelan has many styles, including Kebyar, which is one of the newer styles. Some groups change their music by mixing older pieces and trying new variations. They believe music should grow and change, except for their most sacred songs, which are never changed. Creating a single new piece can take several months. Men and women usually perform in separate groups.

A complete Balinese gamelan ensemble includes:

• Typical Balinese gamelan instruments
• Gong Lanang
• Gong Wadon
• Gong Klentong
• Trompong
• Reyong
• Ugal
• Kantilan
• Pemade
• Kenyur
• Jegogan
• Jublag
• Klenang
• Kendang Semaradana
• Ceng-ceng Kepyak
• Ceng-ceng Ricik
• Gentora
• Suling gambuh
• Gender wayang
• Rindhik
• Curing

Notation

The tuning and building of a gamelan orchestra is a difficult process. Javanese gamelan use two tuning systems: sléndro and pélog. Other systems include degung, used only in West Java and similar to a Japanese scale, and madenda, similar to another Japanese scale. In central Java, sléndro has five notes per octave with large spaces between them, while pélog has seven notes per octave with uneven spaces, usually played in groups of five notes. A complete gamelan includes instruments for both tunings, and classically, only one tuning is used at a time. The exact tuning varies between ensembles, giving each group its own unique sound. Instruments in one gamelan are tuned to the same notes, but tunings differ between gamelans, including how wide or narrow the spaces between notes are.

Colin McPhee, a Canadian composer who lived in Bali, said, "Differences in scales are so large that one might say there are as many scales as there are gamelans." Some teachers disagree, and some ensembles now combine different tunings to make transportation easier during festivals. One example is gamelan Manikasanti, which can play music from many different groups.

Balinese gamelan instruments are made in pairs tuned slightly apart to create beats, ideally at the same speed for all notes. This is called "ombak," meaning "wave," and represents a repeating motion. One instrument is tuned slightly higher, called the "inhale," and the other slightly lower, called the "exhale." When combined, these beats create a sound like a heartbeat, contributing to the "shimmering" effect of Balinese music. In religious ceremonies, these beats are believed to help listeners feel the presence of a god or reach a meditative state. The scale used is similar to the phrygian mode in Western music (E to E on a piano), with notes E, F, G, B, and C matching positions 12, 3, 5, 6 in the sléndro scale.

Javanese gamelan uses a mix of tempo and density called "Irama," which relates the number of beats on the saron panerus instrument to the notes in the main melody. Density is considered more important than tempo.

Sléndro notation often creates a light, cheerful mood, seen in scenes like battles or marches in wayang kulit performances. However, it can also create sad or romantic feelings, as in music using "sléndro miring," where notes are intentionally played out of place. This type of music often accompanies themes of longing, love, or sadness.

Pélog notation gives a feeling of strength, royalty, and sacredness, especially in music using "pelog nem" (six-note) notation. It is often used in scenes like a king entering a temple or expressing anger or revenge. However, in some cases, pélog can also sound happy or lively, as in music played on the "barang" instrument.

Gamelan music was originally passed down orally without written notation. In the 19th century, palaces in Yogyakarta and Surakarta created notations to record music for court records. These notations were not used to read music, which was memorized, but to preserve compositions. Yogyanese notation uses a grid-like system with vertical and horizontal lines to show pitch and timing. Symbols on the left indicate the structure of gongs, while symbols on the right describe drum features. Solonese notation reads left to right like Western music but does not use barlines, instead using squiggles to show note lengths.

Today, these older notations are rarely used and have been replaced by kepatihan notation, based on the Galin-Paris-Chevé system. Kepatihan notation, developed in the early 1900s at the kepatihan Palace in Surakarta, uses numbered pitches with dots above or below to show register and lines to show timing. In vocal music, brackets indicate melisma. Like older notations, kepatihan records the main melody and metric phrases marked by gongs, while other parts are created in real time by musicians. Some teachers use kepatihan principles to notate melodic patterns. Ethnomusicologists trained in Western music may also transcribe gamelan music onto Western staffs, though this can be challenging due to differences in tuning and timing.

Varieties

Gamelan varieties are different based on their instruments, use of voice, tunings, music, style, and culture. No two gamelan groups are exactly the same. Those from important courts often have unique styles and tunings. Some styles may be shared by nearby groups, creating a regional style. Gamelan types are usually grouped by geography, with major differences between Balinese, Javanese, and Sundanese styles. Javanese gamelan has soft and slow tones, while Balinese gamelan has strong, dynamic tones with fast rhythms. Sundanese gamelan, which uses flutes, has soft and mellow sounds.

Javanese gamelan originated in Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, and the Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo. In Javanese palaces, gamelan is divided into two types: gamelan pakurmatan and gamelan ageng. Gamelan pakurmatan is used for specific events or rituals in royal settings. It has fewer instruments and different shapes and pitches than the traditional gamelan used by the public. Gamelan pakurmatan includes types like kodhok Ngorek, munggang, sekati, and carabalen. Gamelan ageng is the most complete type, used for ceremonies and events in palaces.

Gamelan outside palaces, owned by the public, is often gamelan ageng, though it may not be as complete as the palace version. Javanese gamelan used by communities includes many types, such as gadhon, siteran, Wayang, bambu, prawa, pelog, renteng, slendro, Banyuwangi, and Madura.

In Javanese culture, gamelan is classified as complete or incomplete, archaic or modern, and large standard or small village types. Archaic ensembles have unique instrument combinations and older instruments like the bell-tree (byong) in the kodhok Ngorek. Village gamelan may include a double-reed wind instrument (selompret) and vary in drums and gongs, sometimes including the shaken bamboo angklung.

Gamelan in Javanese society reflects local wisdom and has survived for generations. It is used in ceremonies, dances, theater, puppet shows, rituals, and festivals. Javanese gamelan often uses soft rhythms that reflect harmony in life, though some types, like Banyuwangi, have faster tempos and higher notes. Javanese gamelan uses pelog and slendro tunings. Pelog has seven notes (ji, ro, lu, pat, mo, nem, tu), while slendro has six notes (ji, ro, lu, mo, nem, i).

Examples of Javanese gamelan include performances at Yogyakarta Palace, Surakarta Sunanate, and events like Wayang Kulit in Yogyakarta. Other examples include gamelan ensembles with singers at Surakarta Palace, gamelan at Pakualaman Palace, and groups in Malang and East Java.

Balinese gamelan is a traditional ensemble from Bali. Almost every village in Bali has gamelan, which is used for Hindu worship and community events. Balinese gamelan requires teamwork to create harmony. It differs from other gamelans in form and playing style. Balinese gamelan is used for religious ceremonies and entertainment, such as sacred dances and performances.

In Bali, gamelan is called gambelan and is used in rituals like the Ngaben ceremony. For human ceremonies, gender is used, while gong gede is used in temple ceremonies. Balinese gamelan has three types based on historical development:

• Gamelan wayah: An older type from before the 15th century, using keys and no drums. Instruments include Selonding, Gender Wayang, Baleganjur, Genggong, Gambang, Angklung, Bebonangan, Geng Beri, Caruk, and Gong Luwang.
• Gamelan madya: From the 16th–19th century, using drums and tuned instruments. Instruments include Bebarongan, Pelegongan, Batel Barong, Joged Pingitan, Penggambuhan, Gong Gedé, and Semar Pagulingan.
• Gamelan anyar: A newer type from the 20th century, featuring drum-based performances like Semaradana, Bumbung Gebyog, Adi Merdangga, Jégog, Manikasanti, Bumbang, Gong Suling, Joged Bumbung, Janger, Geguntangan, Genta Pinara Pitu, Kendang Mabarung, Gong Kebyar, Okakan, Grumbungan, and Tektekan.

Examples of Balinese gamelan include performances in temples, Kebyar duduk dances, Barong dances, legong dances in Ubud, and gamelan in villages near Sukawati after cremation ceremonies.

Cultural context

Gamelan music in Indonesia has deep cultural and philosophical meaning. It is not only about playing musical instruments together to create harmony, but also about showing how people work together and help each other in society. Each instrument in the gamelan represents a part of this teamwork, creating unity and balance. This music is used in many cultural events, including religious ceremonies, dances, and puppet shows.

During the time of the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit kingdom, gamelan was used in religious ceremonies, such as singing (tembang) and wayang performances, even during performances by kings. A 14th-century manuscript called Negarakertagama describes how King Hayam Wuruk used gamelan music during a dance with eight young people and a song by the Queen Mother. After Majapahit fell and the Islamic kingdom of Demak rose, gamelan continued to be used, now as a tool to share Islamic teachings.

Gamelan plays a key role in rituals. A Javanese saying says, "It is not official until the gong is hung." Some performances are connected to royalty, like visits by the Sultan of Yogyakarta. Specific gamelans, such as Gamelan Sekaten, are used in celebrations like Mawlid an-Nabi (the birthday of Muhammad). In Bali, gamelan is part of almost all religious rituals, including Galungan and Ogoh-ogoh. It is also used in Catholic church ceremonies in Indonesia. Certain gamelan pieces signal the start or end of events, like the piece Udan Mas, which tells the audience when an event is ending. Some pieces are believed to have magical powers to protect against evil spirits. Examples of rituals with gamelan include Sekaten, melasti, galungan, and Odalan (a temple anniversary in Bali held every 210 days).

Gamelan is used in many traditional ceremonies in Indonesia. In royal courts like Yogyakarta and Surakarta, it accompanies important events such as coronations, birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Outside the palace, gamelan is used for weddings, births, circumcisions, harvests, and funerals. In palace ceremonies, specific gamelan instruments like kodhok ngorek are used only for the death of the king or royal family. In public ceremonies, gamelan is used for the funerals of dancers, puppeteers, or theater artists, often with the gadhon ensemble.

Traditional dances from Java and Bali are always accompanied by gamelan music. The music gives rhythm and guidance to the dancers, helping them move in time with the music. The choice of music depends on the dance’s rhythm and theme. Dancers and gamelan players often learn each other’s skills. Examples of dances include bedhaya, serimpi, gambyong, legong, and barong.

Gamelan also supports dance dramas, which combine storytelling with dance. These performances use gamelan music to match the movements and tell a story. In Ramayana Ballet, for example, dancers use gestures instead of words to communicate. Other dance dramas include wayang wong and wayang topeng.

Gamelan music is used in all puppet shows, such as wayang kulit and wayang golek. The puppeteer, called a dalang, must know gamelan music to guide the performance. Gamelan helps bring the story to life and is still popular in Indonesia.

Gamelan production

Most metal gamelan instruments are made from bronze, brass, or iron. Non-metal instruments are made from wood, bamboo, leather, and strings. The word "Gangsa" comes from "Tigang" (three) and "Sedasa" (ten), which refers to the traditional high Javanese term for gamelan. This name is based on the mixture used to make the best bronze gamelan: ten parts copper and three parts tin. A person who makes gamelan is called "Pande," while a person who adjusts the sound of gamelan to match standard tones is called "Peleras." Making gamelan involves at least five steps to create a quality instrument. These steps are:

Membesot – To melt the metal mixture, a craftsman prepares a clay bowl called "kowi." A fireplace with a heating device is used to reach high temperatures. The kowi is filled with metals like copper or silver to create a desired color.

Menyinggi – The melted metal is reshaped into forms such as long straight pieces (dawan), long semicircles, or rounded shapes (cebonan). To show respect for tradition, flower water is often used to soak the newly shaped instruments.

Menempa – The shaped metal is then forged or hammered into its final form. This step is the most complex, requiring skilled workers who use different hammers and techniques to shape the instrument carefully.

Membabar – After forging, the instrument is checked for flaws. If any imperfections are found, they are corrected at this stage.

Melaras – The final step is adjusting the instrument’s scale to ensure it produces the correct musical tones. This process ensures the gamelan is both physically and functionally complete.

Once the scale is adjusted, the instrument is ready to be attached to the gamelan frame. At this point, the creation of the instrument is complete. Some craftsmen, though uncommon, include rituals like fasting or offering gifts during the process to honor tradition. Gamelan production centers are located across Java and Bali. These centers have exported gamelan instruments worldwide. Some well-known production areas include Sukoharjo, Boyolali, Wonogiri, Nganjuk, Magetan, Bantul, Ponorogo, Klaten, Banyuwangi, Gunung Kidul, Cimahi, Bogor, Gianyar, and Klungkung.

Influence on Western music

The gamelan has been admired by many Western composers of classical music, including the famous French composer Claude Debussy. Debussy heard a Javanese gamelan perform during the premiere of Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray's Rhapsodie Cambodgienne at the Paris Exposition of 1889 (a World's Fair). The piece had been written in 1882 but was first performed in 1889. The gamelan Debussy heard used the slendro scale and was played by musicians from Central Java. Although Debussy was very interested in the gamelan, no direct use of its scales, melodies, rhythms, or group textures has been found in his own compositions. However, a musical scale called the equal-tempered whole tone scale appears in his works from that time and later. A style of music similar to Javanese gamelan, called heterophonic texture, is sometimes used in his piece Pagodes from Estampes (a solo piano work from 1903). In this piece, the repeated sound of a large gong is represented by a musical interval called a perfect fifth.

Another composer, Erik Satie, who was a contemporary of Debussy, also heard the Javanese gamelan at the Paris Exposition of 1889. He used the hypnotic, repetitive effects of the gamelan in his piano work Gnossienne.

Direct references to gamelan music can be found in works by composers such as John Cage, particularly his prepared piano pieces, Béla Bartók, Francis Poulenc, Leopold Godowsky, Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, Bronislaw Kaper, and Benjamin Britten. Composers like Colin McPhee, Lou Harrison, and Claude Vivier traveled to Bali and Java to study gamelan theory and later used it in their compositions. In more recent times, American composers such as Henry Brant, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Dennis Murphy, Loren Nerell, Michael Tenzer, Evan Ziporyn, Daniel James Wolf, and Jody Diamond, as well as Australian composers like Peter Sculthorpe, Andrew Schultz, Paul Grabowsky, and Ross Edwards, have written music that includes gamelan instruments or full gamelan ensembles. Several New Zealand composers, including Jack Body, Gareth Farr, and Anthony Ritchie, have also composed for gamelan or used gamelan elements in their music.

I Nyoman Windha is a modern Indonesian composer who writes music using both Western instruments and gamelan. The Hungarian composer György Ligeti created a piano étude called Galamb Borong influenced by gamelan. Harry Partch, an American avant-garde composer known for his unusual instruments and microtonal music, was also inspired by gamelan.

In jazz, the music of Don Cherry, especially his 1968 album Eternal Rhythm, shows influences from gamelan.

The American folk guitarist John Fahey included gamelan elements in his late-1960s sound collages and again in his 1997 collaboration with Cul de Sac, The Epiphany of Glenn Jones. Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew, influenced by gamelan, used rhythmically interlocking guitar techniques in their collaborations with King Crimson and The League of Crafty Guitarists during the 1981–1984 trilogy of albums (Discipline, Beat, Three of a Perfect Pair). The British musician Mike Oldfield used gamelan in three of his works: Woodhenge (1979), The Wind Chimes (Part II) (1987), and Nightshade (2005).

On the debut EP of Sonic Youth, the track She's Not Alone features a sound similar to gamelan. Experimental pop groups such as The Residents, 23 Skidoo (whose 1984 album was titled Urban Gamelan), Mouse on Mars, His Name Is Alive, Xiu Xiu, Macha, Saudade, The Raincoats, and the Sun City Girls have used gamelan percussion in their music. The avant-garde performance group Melted Men uses Balinese gamelan instruments, as well as costumes and dances inspired by gamelan. The Moodswinger, a musical instrument built by Yuri Landman, produces sounds similar to gamelan clocks and bells due to its unique design. The Indonesian-Dutch composer Sinta Wullur has combined Western music with gamelan in her operas. The Canadian band Godspeed You! Black Emperor is influenced by gamelan, even naming a live track Gamelan before renaming it We Drift Like Worried Fire for their 2012 album Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!.

Influence on contemporary music

In modern Indonesian music, some groups mix Western jazz with traditional ethnic music. Bands like Krakatau and SambaSunda from West Java play traditional Sundanese music, such as kacapi suling and gamelan degung, along with modern instruments like drums, keyboards, and guitars. Other bands, such as Bossanova Java, blend Javanese music with bossa nova, while the Kulkul band mixes jazz with Balinese gamelan.

The Indonesian singer Anggun often uses traditional Indonesian music, such as gamelan and tembang singing styles, in her songs. Gamelan music can be heard in songs like "Snow on the Sahara" and "A Rose in the Wind" from her album Snow on the Sahara, as well as in her collaboration with Deep Forest on "Deep Blue Sea" from their 2002 album Music Detected. Another singer, Maribeth Pascua, also includes gamelan music in her songs "Denpasar Moon" and "Borobudur."

Gamelan music has also influenced Japanese pop music. The synthpop band Yellow Magic Orchestra used gamelan sounds in their 1981 album Technodelic, one of the first albums to use many samples and loops. Ryuichi Sakamoto, a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, used gamelan music in the soundtrack for the 1983 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music.

Many people first heard gamelan music in the 1988 Japanese anime film Akira, where it was used during exciting fight scenes and to show the hero’s powers. The gamelan music in the film was played by the Japanese group Geinoh Yamashirogumi. Gamelan and kecak music are also used in video games like Secret of Mana, Sonic Unleashed, and Hotline Miami 2. The 1998 anime Neo Ranga uses Balinese music, including kecak and gamelan gong kebyar, for its soundtrack. The Battlestar Galactica TV series and movies like Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Golden Compass also use gamelan music. The 2001 Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire features gamelan music in its theme.

Gamelan sounds appear in electronic music. For example, the Texas band Drain used gamelan loops in their 2001 album Offspeed and In There. More recent examples include the Sofa Surfers’ song Gamelan and a track from the game Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia.

In 2001, Janet Jackson’s song "China Love" from her album All for You includes Javanese gamelan music. She said the song was inspired by the 1999 video game Legend of Mana, which also used gamelan music.

The 2004 song "Pulangkan" by Malaysian singer Misha Omar uses gamelan music, as does the 2006 hip hop song "Tokyo Drift" by Teriyaki Boyz.

In the cartoon Regular Show, a gamelan is part of a kit mentioned in an episode.

Gamelan chimes are heard in the 2013 movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, especially in the Smaug-themed soundtrack. The music was created by the Javanese group Padhang Moncar from New Zealand.

In the anime Avatar: The Last Airbender, the theme for the character Azula uses Balinese gamelan. The sequel, The Legend of Korra, also uses Balinese gamelan in some scenes.

The 2021 video game Kena: Bridge of Spirits uses Balinese gamelan music. The game is inspired by Japanese and Balinese cultures. The 2019 game Planet Zoo includes gamelan music in some of its additional game content, such as the Southeast Asian Animal Pack and other packs released later.

Gamelan outside Indonesia

Gamelan is well known in Indonesia and many other countries around the world. Many gamelan groups exist outside Indonesia because of reasons such as migration by people from Indonesia (like Javanese, Balinese, or Sundanese communities) and interest in Indonesian culture. The Indonesian government helps spread Indonesian culture by sending cultural missions and offering Darmasiswa Scholarships for foreign students and teachers who want to learn about Indonesian culture, including gamelan. Indonesia has sent hundreds of gamelans to countries across the globe. Gamelan has been introduced to nearly all continents, including the Americas (United States, Mexico, Canada, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador), Europe (United Kingdom, Scotland, Russia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania), Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea), Israel, Australia, and New Zealand.

Examples of gamelan groups outside Indonesia include:
– Kyai Barleyan, a Javanese gamelan at Oberlin College in Ohio. It was acquired in 1970 and is thought to be the third oldest gamelan in the United States.
– Gamelan Son of Lion, a Javanese-style iron gamelan in New York City that focuses on new music. It performs in a space in SoHo, Manhattan, United States, since 2007.
– Sundanese Gamelan Degung, played by the Indra Swara Gamelan Group at the Museo Nacional de las Culturas in Mexico on April 2, 2018.

Gallery

• A Gamelan ensemble performed.
• A Golek Ayun-Ayun Dance performance, with a gamelan ensemble, took place at Bangsal Sri Manganti Keraton Yogyakarta.
• A Sundanese Jaipongan dance performance, accompanied by a gamelan ensemble, occurred in the West Java Pavilion at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta.
• A gamelan ensemble (called gambelan in Balinese language) supported a barong performance (a Bali lion dance) at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural complex in Bali, Indonesia.
• A Telek (masked) dance, with a gamelan ensemble, was performed in Bali from 1950 to 1957.
• A Wayang wong performance, with gamelan music, happened in Java between 1890 and 1916.
• A gamelan ensemble made up of children was present in a temple complex in Bali between 1910 and 1920.
• Children practiced dance with gamelan music at Kebun Dalem Semarang, Dutch East Indies, around 1867.
• A gamelan set was displayed in an exhibition at the museum of the Royal Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences (now the National Museum of Indonesia) in Batavia around 1896.
• The Gamelan Kaduk Manis Rengga (a sacred gamelan) from Kraton Surakarta, Java, was used in 2003.
• A wayang klithik (flat wooden puppet) performance, with a gamelan orchestra, occurred in Ngandong, Java, in 1918.
• The Gamelan Sekati (one of the Javanese sacred gamelans in Keraton Yogyakarta) was played to accompany the Sekaten Ceremony near the Kauman Great Mosque in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on April 27, 2004.
• The Gamelan Nyi Asep Mangsa, Indra Swara, was in Mexico on March 27, 2015.
• A gamelan ensemble accompanied a Wayang Kulit Show (Indonesian Shadow Play) in Java around 1870.
• A gamelan ensemble is shown on the front side of the 1979-issue 10,000 rupiah banknote.