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Irama

"Irama" is the term used for tempo in gamelan. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music, describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, elaborating instruments, and gong structure. It is distinct from tempo (Javanese: Laya), as each Irama can be played in different tempi. Irama thus combines "the rate of temporal flow and temporal density"; and the temporal density is the primary factor.One way to think of Irama is to use the most consistently struck instrument in the gamelan, the saron panerus (or peking). In some pieces, it plays once per note in the balungan (such as played by the saron barung). In others, it may play twice as often, or four times, as the notes of the balungan … more »