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Gamelan orchestras are common to the islands of Java, Madura, Bali, and Lombok (and other Sunda Islands) in Indonesia in a wide variety of ensemble sizes and formations. In Bali and Lombok today, and in Java through the 18th century, the term "gong" is or was preferred to or synonymous with gamelan. Traditions of gamelan have long been established in Malaysia and Suriname due to emigration, trade, or diplomacy, and more recently, through immigration, cultural exchange, and local enthusiasm, gamelan ensembles have become active throughout Europe, the Americas, AsiaThe continent of Asia is defined by subtracting Europe and Africa from the great land mass of Africa-Eurasia. The boundaries are vague, especially between Asia and Europe: Asia and Africa meet somewhere near the Suez Canal. The boundary between Asia and E, and AustraliaAustralia is the sixth-largest country in the world (geographically), the only one to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia. Australia includes the island of Tasmania, which is an Australian State. Its neighbouring count.
Although gamelan ensembles sometimes include solo and choral voices, plucked and/or bowed string and wind instrumentA wind instrument consists of a tube containing a column of air which is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set into the end of the tube. The pitch is determined by the length of the tube and hence the length of the vibras, they are most notable for the large number of percussionPercussion instruments are played by being struck or shaken. They are perhaps the oldest form of musical instruments. Some percussion instruments play not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony. Classifications Most percussion instruments have a distinc instruments, particularly metal percussion instruments. A central Javanese gamelan ensemble may include saron s and gendér s (sets of metals bars laid out in a single row and struck like a glockenspielThe glockenspiel German "play of bells", also known as orchestra bells and, in its portable form, lyra is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It is similar to the xylophone, in that it has tuned bars laid out in a fashion resembling a piano key), bonang s and kenong s (sets of large, drum-shaped gongs, likewise laid out horizontally on stands), gambang s (similar to sarons or genders but with woodThis article describes the wood that comprises trees and boards. For the Chinese element, see wood (classical element). For the town, see Wood, South Dakota or Wood, Wisconsin. For the type of golf club, see golf club (equipment). Veluwe, The Netherlandsen bars instead of metal ones) and a variety of hanging gongs and drums. Metals used include bronzeBronze is the traditional name for a broad range of alloys of copper, usually with zinc and tin but not limited to those metals. First used during the Bronze Age, to which it gave its name, bronze made tools, weapons and armor that were either harder or m, brass, and iron, with a 10:3 copper-to-tin bronze alloy usually considered the best material. In addition, there are gamelan ensembles composed entirely of bamboo-keyed instruments, of zithers, or of unaccompanied voices with the functions of metallophones or gongs in the metal ensemble transferred to surrogates.