Laras

Laras is a term with multiple meanings across Indonesia and Southeast Asia. In Indonesian and related languages, laras refers to a tonal framework, scale, or mode used by a musical instrument or vocal line. It denotes the set of pitches that defines a melody or system of tuning. In Javanese and Balinese gamelan practice, laras often describes the tuning environment of a piece, with two well-known systems being laras pelog and laras slendro. Pelog and slendro are distinct pitch collections that guide composition, performance, and tuning; laras is the umbrella concept for how these scales are applied to instruments and ensembles.

Geographically, Laras is the name of several places in Indonesia, including districts and villages, reflecting the word's status as a toponym in the region. It is also used as a surname or given name in Indonesian-speaking communities and among people of Malay ancestry.

Etymologically, laras derives from Malay and Indonesian lexicon, meaning tone, pitch, register, or range, with specialized sense in music to refer to the tonal system or scale selected for a performance.

See also: Pelog, Slendro.