The soft sounds of gamelan reflect the harmony of Java and its people. Integrating the unmissable sound of gongs, kenong and other Javanese music, the sounds of gamelan are uniquely Javanese and a distinctive part of Yogyakarta. In recent years, the fusion of gamelanand other popular genres creates a modern interpretation of the original sound.  Jazz-gamelan is just one example which are making their way across the ocean to western ears.

However, if you truly wish to hear the original sounds of gamelan, Yogyakarta is the place to go. The Javanese gamelan has softer and slower tones than the Balinese or Sundanese versions, which makes it perfect for representing the welcoming and relaxed demeanour of the Yogya people. The softer sound is said to reflect the harmony of Javanese life and symbolise the harmony of both the physical and spiritual lives of the people. The true sense of harmony in Javanese gamelan music is the moderate playing of the rebab string, the harmonious voice of the kenong, saron kendang and gambang and the finalizing sound of the gong at each closing of the melody. Kenong is used to confirm the rhythm, as a cloth rapped bat is used to hit the various metal domes. While a saron and gambang are closer to a common xylophone, they use metal bronze bars to gift a crisper sound.

The development of gamelan music is believed to begin with kentongan, rebab, taps on the mouth, rubs on string and thin bamboo. This remained the standard until the introduction of metallic music instruments and later the accompaniment of leather puppet shows and dances. Eventually in recent times, gamelan has become an independent music style and has been completed with voices of female singers, called sinden.

You can see gamelan as an independent music performance or a companion of a dance or performances such as leather puppet shows and ketoprak. Yet whichever view you take, you will see the representation of Javanese harmony through beautiful native sounds.