How gongs are used in a soundbath

Playing a gong is like having a conversation, not just with the gong but with the whole space around it.

Gongs are huge characters in a soundbath and they have a complexity and depth that belies their appearance. When they're played sensitively, they offer a huge range of sonic textures to help people get the most from the experience.

There are some who will say the gong plays you while others will say that only a fixed combination of techniques can be used in playing. The former is only true when the gong is being played for yourself. When you're playing without considerations for anyone else in the room, it's easy to just go with what the gong is doing. In effect, it becomes what is known as Auditory Driving. You're producing the sounds but you're also receiving the treatment. In a soundbath though, I'm holding the space for everybody in the room, not just myself. I'm not just aware of everything the gong is doing, I'm aware of every movement and sound in the room. On many occasions, I'm also aware of emotions. Although that means on occasion, I'm not as deeply relaxed as I'd like to be, I'm much more aware of when my playing needs to adjust for the folks sharing the space with me. And when the whole room is in sync then everything just lifts and afterwards, the sense of peace feels tangible. It's the greatest gift to watch so many people come round and just by looking at them, you can see how good they feel.

Sometimes something unexpected can happen. Maybe a gong plays a tone I didn't intend to, or I've caught the side of a gong stand with a mallet. This is when I return to visualising myself in the sound, as a union with my breath, playing and the instrument. The gong (any gong) always responds.

The gong is both an instrument to be played and a teacher to help me help others. It's a partnership.

In ancient China, they believed that the soul of the gong resides in the centre (called The Eye). I never hit a gong in the centre for this reason. And before a soundbath, I always play out each gong as a way of checking in with them, like old friends at a pub. I do this partly as a way of understanding how I feel but also as a way of understanding their temperature and any changes in their sweet spot. However bonkers this may sound, I think of them as old friends as they all have their own characters and personalities and I want them to sing their widest range so everyone can hear what they are capable of.

Main types of gong

Traditional gongs

Chau

Chau gongs are the oldest from China. They are characterised by having a rim around their circumference and may well have some unpolished areas which help provide deeper tones to aid relaxation. They tend to be heavy and the ones from China tend to also be multi-harmonic. It takes longer to get to know these gongs. Where is the part of the gong that is loudest? The most complex? Each gong should play at least 2 notes and you have to learn where they are and how to help the gong sing them. They are usually extremely versatile. They tend to be one of the deeper sounding gongs and are therefore used to relax the nervous system. Mine produces some particularly amazing vibrations making it ideal in 1-2-1 sessions where I've used it to help people work through all kinds of issues and symptoms.

Feng (wind) gongs

These flat(ish) rimless gongs are highly polished and thinner than their cousins. They have a higher frequency (depending on size) and a more shimmery sound signature. They're great for stimulating the nervous system, which even in a very deep soundbath is required because I don't necessarily want people to fall asleep. I want you to be aware of how good you feel and I want to free you of your stress and pain. Fengs give a movement in a soundbath which balances the deep swell of a chau.

From left to right: A symphonic gong, a traditional chau, a sun gong and a feng/ wind gong

Sun gongs

These are thicker Feng gongs which have polished and unpolished areas going in concentric rings across their surface. They tend to be deeper in tone than the fengs and have less shimmer in their profile.

Symphonic gongs

These are tuned gongs so they have a defined higher and lower tone. Paiste and Meinl are two examples of manufacturers who produce some excellent symphonic gongs. In my experience, these are more predictable to play. They are also lighter and often nickel-plated. Although, more predictable to play, they have a huge variance in the textures they can produce.

Accent gongs

Accent gongs are often smaller than other gongs and tend to be handheld. Nepalese and Balinese gongs can fall into this category but there are some horrendous products out there of that type. Accent gongs help provide brief stimulation or repose, like a middle eight in a song. I often use a 70cm copper gong as an accent gong because it has a unique sound profile and its vibrational quality being held close to participants is usually well received.

I use different sizes of mallets to help bring out the higher and lower frequencies in my copper gong during my own practice.

Gong techniques

There are a handful of core techniques, but each gong has it's own personality and some gongs require variances of techniques. In short, we want deeper tones to relax and higher tones to stimulate. So each gong has to do both.

Low Earth/ Drone: this is a constant low frequency to pacify and relax the nervous system.

Waves: this is where I'm trying to vary the volume and frequency to produce movement in the sound that will create some vibrational rhythmicity. I'm trying to gently stimulate the mind and body while also relaxing the nervous system.

High Earth/ Plateau: a louder version of a Low Earth. It provides a peak in a soundbath for stimulation.

Fire: a crescendo in a soundbath to provide a climax of sound

Silence: the pauses are when the magic happens!

There are other techniques which are specific to certain types of gongs, but these are the main ones.

Mallet size and firmness also affects how versatile each gong can be. As can the venue itself.

These are the main considerations with Gongs, but three are many more nuances than there might first appear to be and it takes a while to learn them. But once you have gotten to know each gong, you have a great little gang to help others.

If anyone has any questions about gongs, please let me know in the comments.