The meditative effect of singing bowls and the numerous positive effects that the delicate sounds have on us are no longer controversial. In some cultures, the singing bowl has been used for hundreds of years – for example, as a musical accompaniment to rituals or in meditation. If you want to use a singing bowl for the first time, you are probably wondering how best to go about it. We would like to give you an understanding of how to use a singing bowl, introduce you to suitable gong mallets and friction mallets – and go into what else is important when playing singing bowls.
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The most important facts in brief
- The singing bowl has been used for centuries for meditation and musical ritual accompaniment.
- Singing bowls can be used with a mallet or a friction mallet.
- In order for the beautiful tones of the singing bowl to sound, you must first strike or rub the bowl.
- Depending on the surface on which the singing bowl is placed, the sound also changes.
- Mallets and reamers have a great influence on the sound result.
- High quality mallets and friction mallets allow you to experience the full spectrum of sound and protect the surface of the shell.
What you need for the application of a singing bowl
Before you turn your attention to the actual sound game, you should first make some preparations. At the very beginning, of course, is the choice of a singing bowl suitable for you with suitable mallets. If you have no idea where to start and what the sound instrument should offer you, consult an expert. Specialized dealers who have been making singing bowls and mallets or rubbers for many years can help you identify your needs and find the right equipment for you.
The high quality of the products is later reflected in your sound experience. After choosing the singing bowl, you should decide whether you prefer to do the sound play with a mallet or a reamer. Both variants produce a unique sound and, when used correctly, provide an intense sound. However, rubbing with a grater requires a little practice. The larger a singing bowl is, the easier it will be for you to create the singing sounds.
Which singing bowl mallet or friction mallet is suitable for beginners?
So for starters, we recommend you use a beater. The ollihess Chakra Mallet CH1, the Profi Chakra Mallet CH2 or the Profi Gong Mallet move line edition are ideal for use on singing bowls due to their shape and fluffy head. They produce an intense and relaxing sound and can be played comfortably in any position.
Of course, you can also go straight for a reamer – or even add a singing bowl reamer to your equipment at a later date. For the application on a singing bowl, the ollihess gong friction mallet Lava Edition is optimally suited. Due to its special material composition, it provides a unique variety of sounds.
Preparation: This is how you proceed when using a singing bowl
If you have everything you need for a singing bowl application, now comes the first step in preparing your playing practice.
Find the right place
The important thing is that you really feel comfortable and create a place where you can relax and enjoy. Therefore, find a quiet and cozy place that you can completely adapt to the requirements of a singing bowl meditation.
Make yourself comfortable Make yourself as comfortable as possible – for example with some pillows or soft blankets.
Place your singing bowl
Also for the singing bowl you should find a suitable place that is easy for you to reach and at the same time offers a beautiful sound. Depending on the surface on which you place the singing bowl, its tone will also change. You can take advantage of that! Here, for example, a singing bowl cushion is ideal, which not only provides a very delicate sound, but also protects your singing bowl – and the surface on which it stands – from scratches. Just try out which tones you like best. So you can design the singing bowls application according to your own ideas.
Rub or strike the singing bowl?
Of course, when you want to use your singing bowl, it is up to you to decide whether you prefer to rub or strike it. There is basically no “right” or “wrong” here. It is solely about supporting you with beautiful tones and sounds. Therefore, we would like to explain to you how to rub or strike a singing bowl – and you decide what to make of it.
Strike the singing bowl
Especially for beginners, striking the singing bowl is often the easier approach. Once you have positioned yourself and your equipment well, you are ready to go:
With the Mallet – another word for mallet – you “tap” very gently on the top edge of the bowl. Depending on the material from which the singing bowl and mallet were made, the resulting sound also differs. The force with which you strike the singing bowl also influences the sound. Try yourself out – with gentle or somewhat stronger strokes, with strokes in different areas of the singing bowl and with different supports. In this way you will find out for yourself which tones you like best when striking the singing bowl and the use of the singing bowl will become a relaxing time out for you.
Rubbing the singing bowl
Rubbing the singing bowl requires a little more practice than striking it. With a little practice, however, you will quickly find out how to create beautiful and long-lasting sounds. Here you take your singing bowl friction mallet to the hand and drive with it circularly along the edge of the bowl. You perform this movement until a soft, almost singing sound is produced. The longer you rub the singing bowl friction mallet on the bowl, the clearer and stronger the sound will be. If you stop the friction, the singing bowl will continue to sound for some time.
How to position the singing bowl?
A question we often hear from beginners of sound meditation: How do you position the singing bowl correctly? Therefore, we would like to briefly explain this point of view as well.
Basically, you can place the singing bowl on any surface on which it finds a firm hold. A singing bowl cushion is particularly suitable, as it supports the intensity of the sounds, but a hard surface is also possible.
Many people want not only to hear the sounds of the singing bowl, but also to feel them intensively on their own bodies. You can also place the singing bowl directly on your palm and then play it with your other hand.
Tip:
Make sure the flat bottom of the singing bowl is on the heel of your hand and your fingers are loosely splayed, not touching the domed part of the bowl.
In sound massage, the singing bowl is placed on different areas of the body, for example, on the abdomen. Here you can also act according to what feels good to you at the moment. For example, if you suffer from pain in a certain part of your body, it is often useful not to place the singing bowl directly at or on this point. Instead, choose an area further away from the pain point and play the singing bowl here. In this way, you shift the focus away from the unpleasant feelings and concentrate on the regions where you feel more well-being. This may cause you to relax and so the pain will be less.
Why is the singing bowl application so popular?
The singing bowl has become a popular sound instrument in recent years, often used in sound meditations and sound therapy – but also for pleasure in private use. This is mainly due to its multi-faceted sound and the vibrations it emits, which promote well-being and relaxation.
The singing bowl is now used in many areas:
- to the sound massage
- to the sound therapy
- for the musical education and training of children
- to support wellness treatments and body massages
- during meditation
- as an accompanying instrument – also for studio recordings or stage performances
Let your creativity run free with the singing bowl application
When rubbing or striking the singing bowl, there are no limits – just like when playing a gong. The rule here is: what feels good, does good. So you can take your time to explore the different ways to use a singing bowl – and find the method that works best for you.
So just follow your intuition and your own feeling to play the singing bowl the way it moves you inside.
