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.