The bonang is a traditional Indonesian musical instrument integral to the Javanese gamelan ensemble. It consists of a collection of small gongs arranged horizontally on strings within a wooden frame known as a rancak, typically organized in one or two rows.
Each kettle features a central boss; those with lower pitches have flattened heads, while higher-pitched kettles possess arched ones. The instruments are tuned to specific pitches corresponding to either the pelog or slendro scales and are played by striking them with padded sticks called tabuh. While high-quality bonang are forged from bronze, they can also be constructed from welded iron, cold-hammered iron, or a combination of metals. In certain contexts, such as village gamelan or specific regional styles in Suriname and the United States, more economical versions made of hammered iron or brass plates with raised bosses are utilized.