gamelan

Also gam·e·lin

[gam-uh-lan, -luhn]

noun

1. an Indonesian orchestra consisting of bowed stringed instruments, flutes, and a great variety of percussion instruments.

gamelan

/ ˈɡæmɪˌlæn /

noun

1. a type of percussion orchestra common in the East Indies

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamelan¹

1810–20; < Javanese, equivalent to gamel song accompanied by a gamelan + -an nominalizing suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamelan¹

from Javanese

Example Sentences

In particular, they studied the 'bonang', an instrument from the Javanese gamelan built from a collection of small gongs.

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Their December concert will feature Balinese gamelan, and in May, film and chamber music will combine to explore the connection between mothers and their children.

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The tones suggest Indonesian gamelan music, but with less structured sonic patterns.

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Western audiences would likely experience a learning curve with sonifications that employ, say, the sound of a Javanese gamelan, but a framework that contains such options can flex and adapt to the data’s needs.

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This Balinese composer combines two different gamelan scales in his latest project.

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