There are basically two methods for eliciting the variety of sounds from a gong: rubbing or striking. For this purpose either gong mallets or gong drivers are used, which have various differences. We would like to explain these differences to you here.

First and foremost, several questions need to be answered first: Which gong do you own, what key do you want to reach, and whether you want to hold the notes for a longer period of time? All these and other characteristics are decisive for the choice of the right gong mallet or gong driver.

Features of a Gong Mallet

The gongmallet is the classic method of making a gong vibrate. This is a kind of bat covered with a cloth with which the gong is struck. Depending on the meeting point and the characteristic of the gong, different tones sound.

Purely from the optical and haptic appearance the Mallet is clearly heavier and more massive than the gong driver. It also makes a much more valuable and solid impression, as the style is more robust and thicker. In terms of weight, there are also various classifications for the mallets.

In principle, bright to very low tones can be played with Gong Mallets. Of course it depends on the gong, the mallet, their characteristics as well as the technique. Furthermore, the point of impact is decisive for the timbre. Another characteristic of the gong mallet is the deep sound carpet, which is not possible with a gong driver.

This is what distinguishes ollihess Mallets

Compared to competing products, ollihess completely dispenses with various binding agents such as adhesives or the like in the production of the Gong Mallets. Instead, the individual components are constructed in such a way that they appear to be cast from one piece, or in some cases are even made from one piece. In addition, the rackets are ergonomically shaped, so that nothing stands in the way of long hours of play.

In addition, the colors in the head area are unique and real eye-catchers. The incomparable quality that has been put into development and construction is, as with all ollihess products, clearly felt and heard.

Features of a gong driver

In contrast to the Gong Mallet, the Gong Driver is much smaller and handier. As the name implies, a rubber is used to rub against the gong while a mallet is struck against the gong. This also results in completely different sounds. While the sounds with a mallet are usually very sweeping, steady tones can be elicited from the gong with a gong driver. Holding notes is also much easier with a reamer than with a mallet.

Speaking of tones, a gong driver offers a very wide spectrum of sounds. From particularly bright frequencies to very low tones, you can reproduce almost any sound with a gong driver.

Why a gong driver from ollihess?

As with all our products, the quality of the gong driver is paramount. This starts with the materials of the reamers. Our rubbers have a special material composition made of flummi or rubber. In addition, we will offer gong drivers made of rubber in the future. With the special materials we guarantee that your gong will not be scratched and that you can elicit indescribable sounds from it.

Mallet or reamer?

Of course, in the end, the question remains as to which is more sensible or better – the Gong Mallet or the Gong Driver. The answer: both. Depending on the intended use and the type of sound, both the mallet and the reamer may be the better choice. One thing is certain, however: the interplay of the two instruments makes for enchanting and indescribable sounds. Especially when Reiber and Mallet have the name ollihess.