Bonang

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Bonangs, or gong chimes, are important instruments of the traditional gamelan, the percussion orchestra from Java in Indonesia. The bonang does not usually play the main tune ; instead it plays patterns of quick notes that decorate the melody. Bonangs in java come in two sizes : the bonang panerus, shown here, is the smaller of the two.

Family
Percussions
Pitch range
Two octaves or more, depending on tuning.
Material
Bronze gongs set in a wooden frame, which is often decorated.
Size
Variable : this bonang is 5 ft (1.53 m) long and 26 in (67 cm) wide.
Origins
Gong chimes of various kinds are used throughout South-east Asia. The bonang is from java.
Classification
Idiophone: an instrument that produces its sound through the use of the material from which it is made, without needing strings or a stretched skin.
And also...
There are two quite different scale systems in Javanese music.

picture of Bonang

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