How does Javanese kraton notation organize music for a gamelan orchestra?

In the context of musical notation, the kraton notation system is a form of representational notation used to organize music for the Javanese gamelan orchestra.1

Unlike Western staff notation, which is read horizontally from left to right, kraton notation utilizes a grid based on the graph principle but oriented at a 90-degree angle. This system effectively maps the complex polyphony and colotomic structure of the gamelan, where a nuclear theme is divided into rhythmic cycles marked by punctuating instruments like the gong. By using this grid, the notation provides a visual framework for the various layers of the ensemble—ranging from the nuclear theme to rhythmic paraphrases and delicate patterns—allowing performers to coordinate their parts within the orchestral texture.12