Gamelan Siteran is a casual style of gamelan

Gamelan

A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....

 in Java

Java

Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...

, Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

, featuring portable, inexpensive instruments instead of the heavy bronze metallophone

Metallophone

A metallophone is any musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars which are struck to make sound, usually with a mallet.Metallophones have been used in music for hundreds of years. There are several different types used in Balinese and Javanese gamelan ensembles, including the gendér, gangsa...

s of a typical gamelan. A typical group consists of varieties of siter

Siter

The siter and celempung are plucked string instruments used in Javanese gamelan. They are related to the kacapi used in Sundanese gamelan....

 (small zither, which leads to the name), kendang

Kendang

Kendhang is a two-headed drum used by peoples from Maritime Southeast Asia....

 (drum), and a large end-blown bamboo tube or a gong kemodhong, functioning as a gong ageng

Gong ageng

The gong ageng is . It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra...

. A full group has a celempung, siter, siter panerus, siter slenthem, kendhang ciblon, and gong kemodhong. It is typically accompanied by singing as well. The instruments are often homemade, something which is impossible with the more characteristic gamelan instruments. Performances are usually of pieces from the standard Javanese gamelan repertoire.