Gamelan is a collection of musical instruments that usually show demung, saron, peking, xylophone, drum, and gong. The term gamelan refers to the instrument / tool, which is an integrated whole that is realized and sounded together. The word Gamelan itself is derived from the Javanese language Gamel which means to beat / beat, followed by the suffix which makes it a noun. Gamelan orchestras are mostly found on the islands of Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok in Indonesia in various types and shapes of musical instruments. In Bali and Lombok today, and in Java through the 18th century, the term gong is considered more synonymous with gamelan.

Tuning and making gamelan orchestras is a complex process. Gamelan uses four methods of tuning, namely sléndro, pélog, and degung (specifically in West Java), and madenda (also known as diatonic, the same as the original minor scale that is widely used in Europe.

Gamelan music is a combination of diverse foreign art influences. Linkage notes from China, musical instruments from Southeast Asia, drum bands and music moves from India, bowed strings from the Middle East region, even the European military style that we hear in traditional Javanese and Balinese music today.