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Gongs, Singing Bowls, Cymbals, Bells and Chimes
GONGS
Ban Gong
The Ban Gong (also known as the Opera Gong) produces a keynote that is sustained for a long time when it is struck lightly. It is similar to the Tiger Gong, but the Ban Gong has a characteristic upward or downward sound when it is struck with a small hard stick. When struck in this manner, it produces a low-pitched note that rises up to the keynote which then resonates for a while. Ban Gongs are an essential part of Chinese opera. A pair of gongs, the larger with a descending tone, the smaller with a rising tone, are used to identify the arrival onstage of particular characters, points of drama, consequence and humour.
Bao Gong
The Bao gong (often called a Temple Gong) is considered to be a sacred gong as it has been used in temples throughout China, Japan and many other Asian countries for centuries. What makes the Bao gong distinct is the central raised boss that is often made of a different metal to the rest of the gong.
Boa gongs have two distinct sounds depending on whether they are struck on the boss or next to it. They have a clear, resonant tone but do not produce the rich overtones and shimmer that is available in gongs such as chao or wind. The metal of a Bao is thicker than that of a wind gong and, like a chao gong, they have a lip around the edge of the gong. Bao gongs are tuned to various pitches and come in a wide variety of sizes ranging from very small to massive.
Beaters and Mallets for Gongs
Gandharva Loka stocks a wide range of beaters and mallets for the instruments listed on this page. We also offer a broad range of beaters and strikers for the drums and percussion instruments that we offer.
Chao Gong
The Chao gong is a traditional percussion instrument from China that, along with the Wind Gong, has become quite well known in the West. They range in size from approximately 15cm to 180cm. The chao gong is made of electrolytic copper and tin. It is almost flat except for the rim, which is turned up to make a shallow cylinder – the main surface being subtly concave. The centre spot and the rim of a chao gong is left coated on both sides with the black copper oxide that forms during the manufacture of the gong, the rest of the gong is polished to remove this coating.
The earliest Chou gong known to exist was discovered in a tomb at the Guixian site in the Guangxi Zhuang region of China. It dates from the early Western Han Dynasty. These people were known for their very intense drumming in spiritual rituals and tribal meetings. Traditionally, chao gongs were used to clear the way for important officials and processions, much like a police siren today. Sometimes the number of strokes on the gong was used to indicate the seniority of the official. In this way, two officials meeting unexpectedly on the road would know before the meeting which of them should bow down before the other.
Wind Gong
Wind gongs, which are also known as Feng or Lion Gongs, are flat bronze discs, with little fundamental pitch, heavy tuned overtones, and a long sustain.
Traditionally a wind gong is played with a large soft mallet, which gives it a roaring crash to match their name. They are known as wind gongs as, like the wind, their sound can range from soft and gentle to ferocious and powerful. Wind gongs are lathed on both sides and are medium to large in size, typically 38cm to 56cm although sizes as small as 17cm and as large as 120cm or more do exist. Some wind gongs, particularly those from Nepal, are ornately engraved.
Xiang Jia Gong
The Xiang Jia gong (also known as the Shaman Gong) offers a mighty, mystic and pulsating sound with the larger Xiang Jia gongs having an extensive overtone range.
The Xiang Jia gong has a deep edge and are usually engraved with a diamond pattern on the external surface.
SINGING BOWLS
Chinese Temple Bowls
These cast iron Chinese temple bowls are not singing bowls in the purest sense as they do not resonate in the way that singing bowls do when a striker is drawn around the side or the rim of the bowl. Chinese temple bowls are purely an instrument to be struck and have a rich, clear tone. The pitch is determined by the size of the bowl.
Singing Bowls (Various)
Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls, rin gongs, medicine bowls, Tibetan bowls or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, standing bells sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound. Singing bowls were traditionally used throughout Asia in the practices of various spiritual traditions. Today they are employed worldwide both within and without these spiritual traditions as well as being used for meditation, relaxation, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice.
At Gandharva Loka we sell several types of singing and temple bowls that are produced through different means and are carefully selected for quality. Many of our metal bowls are made in India by Tibetan communities using the highest grade metals. Our quartz crystal singing bowls are sourced from America and are also made of the highest quality materials. Many of the singing bowls that we stock are beautifully packaged and make excellent gifts.
Hand Beaten Singing Bowls
The hand-beaten bowls we stock at Gandharva Loka are made from a blend of metals and, as a result, are rich in overtones. Examples of hand-beaten singing bowls being played can be viewed here and here.
Cast Metal Singing Bowls
Gandharva Loka stocks cast metal singing bowls in a range of sizes and decorative finishes.
Crystal Singing Bowls
The crystal singing bowls are tuned to a variety of tones that correspond to different chakras. An example of two crystal singing bowls being demonstrated can be viewed here.
CYMBALS
Jing Cymbals
Jing cymbals are traditional Chinese cymbals that come in a variety of sizes from hand-held to stand mounted. Jing cymbals are handmade and this gives them an authentic Asian sound with more overtones than the classical Western cymbals. Traditionally the smaller paires of cymbals are held in each hand and struck together with the stand mounted cymbals being played with a striker. Many different effects are possible and you will appreciate the creative opportunities these delightful cymbals offer.
Tibetan Cymbals (Tingsha)
Tibetan temple cymbals (also known as tingsha, Tin Shas, temple chimes and hand cymbals) are small metal cymbals used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. The cymbals are joined together by a leather strap and, when struck together, they producing a crystal clear, high pitched ringing tone. Tibetan temple cymbals are very thick and produce a unique long ringing tone. Typical sizes range from 4 to 10 cm in diameter. In the modern context, Tibetan temple cymbals are used along with singing bowls and other instruments in meditation, music and sound healing.
BELLS
Bells
Bells are usually made of cast metal, but small bells can also be made from ceramic or glass. Bells can be of all sizes: from tiny dress accessories and alter bells to church bells or specially commisioned bells that weigh many tons. (One of the most famous bells in the world is America's Liberty Bell but the world's largest bell is the Tsar Bell which weighs in at 102 tons!)
Historically, bells have served a wind number of purposes including warning of danger, gathering communities together, celebrating or commemorating important events and people, and religious, spiritual and inspirational purposes. Bells are also associated with the concepts of peace and freedom and the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch is home to New Zealand's only Peace Bell.
A great variety of bells are available at Gandharva loka in Christchurch. We stock tiny alter or aroti bells with pure and resonant tone, small brass handbells, Tibetan temple bells and larger Chinese temple bells. Mostly handmade and most commonly made of brass, bells vary greatly in tone depending on their size, thickness and the composition of the metals they are made from.
Bells have a hundred-and-one uses including practicle purposes such as on shop counters, inspirational, devotional and religious uses – or just plain fun! Often decorated with ornate symbols of the country or culture that they come from, bells make wonderful and unique gifts. Gandharva Loka also offers colourful tuned hand bells for children.
Bell Strings
Bell strings are sets of bells, usually in brass, of various shapes and sizes that are strung together on bright and colourful cords. Often decorated with items such as beads and shells, the number of bells used is dependent on the length of the cord and the discretion of the maker.
Offering a delightful tinkling sound, these bells are often hand-made and vary greatly in size and shape. Variations in the pitch of a string of bells does occur but this adds a joyful and random element to their musicality.
Bell Tree
A Bell Tree is a percussive instrument consisting of vertically nested inverted metal bowls. The bowls are fixed to a vertical rod and are arranged inexactly in order of pitch. An effective ascending or descending glissando is accomplished by sliding a metal beater up or down the tree. When a glissando is played, the inexactness of the order of pitch is unnoticeable; the glissando just sounds fuller. Random or relatively pitched notes can also be played on a Bell Tree.
The number of bowls can vary but the Bell Trees that are currently available from Gandharva Loka (pictured) have eighteen bells and come with two wooden handled, metal tipped strikers. The two strikers allows for simultaneous ascending or descending glissando and also for the instrument to be played in a similar fashion to a glockenspiel or xylophone. The bells are housed in an ornately carved wooden frame.
Chinese Temple Bell
The sounds of bells have comforted man in time of despair, warned him of impending danger, and accompanied him in battle and in revelry. Bells have also been used as part of spiritual and religious ceremony in diverse cultures world wide.
The Chinese temple bells that are available at Gandharva Loka are heavy cast iron bells that have lovely tone that are rich with overtones. The bell pictured right measures 21cm in height by 17cm in diameter at the rim. It does not come with a striker but we do offer a wide range of affordable strikers at Gandharva Loka.
Hanging Elephants (with bells)
Hanging Elephants come in various shapes and sizes. Bright and colourful, they are typically made of felt and decorated with such things as shells, beads and always with bells. They make wonderful gifts and are perfect decorations for the home, christmas trees or a child's nursury.
Tibetan Temple Bells
Tibetan temple bells are made of brass and have three main aspects: the ringing of the bell; the singing bowl aspect where a wooden stick is drawn around the rim of the bell to create the constant singing bowl tone; the dorje aspect where the bell is struck with a brass dorje (striker). An important part of Tibetan Buddhism, these temple bells are ornately decorated and everything about their design and purpose represents aspects of the sacred Path to enlightenment.
Yak / Mule Bells
If you have ever been hiking in Tibet or Nepal, you have more than likely shared the narrow trails and passes with a mule or yak train at some stage. You may also have noticed that these stoical beasts of burden are often decorated with bright ribbons and bells. While these decorations have very practical purposes, the hardy mountain people also believe that the bright and haunting tones of these bells have the power to invoke good fortune as they journey through some of the most unforgiving terrain on the planet! Gandharva Loka has a range of genuine hand crafted Nepalese mule/yak bells that come complete with decorative ribbons to hang them by. They really sound fantastic...!
CHIMES
Chime Tree
The Chime Tree (also known as Mark Tree or Bar Chimes) is a percussive instrument used primarily to add colour to musical arrangements. It consists of a number of small chimes (typically cylinders of solid metal approximately 6mm in diameter) of varying lengths hanging from a bar. The chimes are played by sweeping a finger or stick through the length of the hanging chimes. They are mounted in pitch order to produce rising or falling glissandos. Unlike tubular bells, another form of chime, the chimes on a Chime Tree do not produce a definite pitch but instead produce an inharmonic (rather than harmonic) spectra.
The Chime Trees that are availabe from Gandharva Loka have twenty-six chimes that hang from a wooden bar. The whole assembly is suspended from a quality metal stand and comes with a metal striker.
Emperor Gong
Emperor Gongs are wind chimes that are inspired by traditional Asian design to reflect balance, harmony, grace and beauty. Nothing has the ability to transport us to another time and place quite like the brilliant resonance of a gong. For over a thousand years, gongs of various types have played an important role in both the religious and secular music of many Asian cultures.
Handcrafted for superior musical performance and meticulously hand-tuned to a pentatonic scale, the Emperor Gong acts in concert with the wind to create random patterns of resonating, soothing and charming sound. The Emperor Gong wind chime features a 25cm bronze gong with a handcrafted wooden wind catcher, striker and top plates.
EMPORER GONG SOUND SAMPLE:
Koshi Chimes
Koshi chimes are high quality wind chimes that have a beautiful and unique sound. An authentic musical instrument of original creation, they are hand-made at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in France and each chime is the result of meticulous craftsmanship. Eight fine metal rods are welded with silver into the metal plate at the base of a resonance tube. Precise tuning creates a spectrum of clear tones that are rich in overtones. The overtones of the shorter chords gradually dominate and become fundamentals, thus forming a circular tone range. The effect is meditative and delightful! Koshi chimes come in four tunings and each has a specific timbre and can be played harmoniously with all others. The resonance tube consists of bamboo veneer treated with natural oil. These beautifully finished chimes make lovely gifts. Samples can be heard here. Koshi chimes are very similar to Zaphir chimes.
Magnolia Chimes (NZ made)
Gandharva Loka stocks the sweet music and soothing sounds of New Zealand made Magnolia Wind Chimes – a stunning range of high quality wind chimes that come in a wide variety of colours, sizes and sounds. These wind chimes are delightful musical instruments designed to deliver spontaneous and soothing music, whenever the wind blows.
Precise cutting of the pipes ensures concert pitch tuning of notes in pentatonic scales. In addition to this sweet music, these wind chimes are produced in a stunning array of colours and a wide variety of original and artistic woodwork. Crafted from the highest quality materials, Magnolia wind chimes are a durable and delightful addition to any home or garden. The aluminium wind chime pipes are hardy and naturally corrosion resistant, even in salty coastal conditions. They make excellent gifts.
Wind Chimes (Various)
It is thought that modern wind chimes have their origins in Indian wind bells. By the second century CE, wind bells were being suspended on the corners of large pagodas. In time wind bells were introduced to China and were also hung in temples, palaces and homes. Japanese glass wind bells have been produced since the Edo period. Wind chimes are thought to be good luck in parts of Asia and are used in the art of Feng Shui. They are now commonly used all over the world in gardens, on balconies or terraces, and indoors.
Wind chimes are made from a variety of materials including metals, bamboo, wood and bone. (Some artisans make novel wind chimes from items such as old silverware and cutlery.) Gandharva Loka carries wind chimes in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Enjoy the sweet, charming, soothing and inspiring play of nature's breath moving through a set of wind chimes. They also make great gifts.
Zaphir Chimes
Zaphir chimes were originally known as Shanti Chimes. They are an authentic musical instrument hand-made by dedicated craftsman. The dimensions of this instrument match the natural principles related to the laws of equilibrium (known as the Golden ratio) making them perfect for producing high quality sound waves. Zaphir chimes are very similar in construction to the Koshi chimes. The different tunings and specific timbres of the Zaphir, combined with their colored design, match the four seasons and are often used in sound therapy work for relaxation and healing. These chimes bring a lovely element of peace and relaxation to your surroundings and make great gifts.
ZAPHIR CHIME SOUND SAMPLE:
Index
| Melodic Instruments | Wind Instruments |
| Stringed Instruments |
| Drums and Percussion Instruments |
| Gongs, Singing Bowls, Cymbals, Bells and Chimes |
| GONGS |
| Ban Gong |
| Bao Gong |
| Beaters and Mallets for Gongs |
| Chao Gong |
| Wind Gong |
| Xiang Jia Gong |
| SINGING BOWLS |
| Chinese Temple Bowls |
| Singing Bowls (Various) |
| CYMBALS |
| Jing Cymbals |
| Tibetan Cymbals (Tingsha) |
| BELLS |
| Bells |
| Bell Strings |
| Bell Tree |
| Chinese Temple Bells |
| Hanging Elephants (with bells) |
| Tibetan Temple Bells |
| Yak / Mule Bells |
| CHIMES |
| Chime Tree |
| Emperor Gong |
| Koshi Chimes |
| Magnolia Chimes (NZ made) |
| Wind Chimes (Various) |
| Zaphir Chimes |
| Sound Therapy Instruments |
| Musical Instruments for Children |
| World Instruments – the main index page |
Related pages
- BIMM – Books, Incense, Music and Merchandise.
Can't find what you are looking for?
It is sometimes the case that we keep instruments in our store than are not listed on these pages – and we have new instruments arriving regularly. We do try to keep our instruments pages updated and generally we also list newly arrived instruments on The Gandharva Loka Blog.
However, if you cannot find the instrument you are looking for on these pages, kindly contact us as the instrument you need may well be on our shelves or we may be able to assist you in tracking it down.
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