Looking for the best gong for sound healing, or sound baths? You are in the right place.
First let me say; there are nearly as many gong styles as there are cultures around the world that employ the gong in their traditions, meditations, customs, rituals and music.
Some gongs make crashing sounds which seem to reverberate infinitely, while others have deeper tones that sound for shorter periods of time.
So, how do you find the best gong for your practice?
My advice is learn about gong styles, their reverberation, sustain and pitch. Listen to their sound samples. Then pick one that resonates with you.
There are no wrong answers, so let your intuition and inner knowing guide you.
Here are 13 different styles of gongs for sound healing.
Chau gong (tam-tam)
Chau gongs are also called Tam Tams, and are what many people envision when they hear the word gong.
This gong is flatter than others, but it does curve up in the center and the edge or rim is slightly turned upwards.
It a similar size to a wind gong, but a wind gong is thinner and has a more crashing crescendo with a higher pitch, whereas the Chau gong has a more controlled sound that is deeper picthed. Both have a long sustain.
This gong is sometimes known as the bullseye gong because the black oxidation that formed when the gong was made is left on the center and edges, while the rest is polished to reveal the shiny brass finish, leaving it look like a bullseye.
The Chau gong is very popular for use by sound bath practitioners. It comes in many sizes, although it is usually considered a large gong. The tone or pitch is deep, compared to some other styles.
My opinion is that the chau gong is the best gong for sound healing because of the long, controlled, rich, full resonance it has. My ears also prefer the deeper tone as high pitches are uncomfortable to me personally.
The Chau gong is certainly my favorite sound bath gong style, which is why it is the first gong style I presented in this lineup.
Vietnamese Dragon Gong
These enchanting Vietnamese dragon gongs are similar to nipple gongs with a center boss and heavybronze construction.
They are available in sizes 14 to 32 inches to fit any size sound studio or meditation space.
This gong has an authentic ancient vibe, and a very booming sound that will reverberate through your being. The sound is lasting and makes an ideal focal poit for meditation that allows you to clear your thoughts as you tune into the rumble.
Flare Gong
The flare gong is a newer style Chinese gong. This modern gong is similar to a wing gong, which is a flat gong with no rim and with a slightly tapered edge. A wind gong has a crash where the pitch gets slightly higher towards the end of the crash.
The difference with the flare gong is it has a bulleye pattered carved onto the face. The uncarved portions of this gong cause the gong to sound with deeper tones. The flare gong maintains a deeper tone throughout the length of the crash.
Heng Gong
The heng gong is a modern Chinese style gong.
The heng gong incorporates some of the best features of the wind gong and chau gong. It has the wind gongs ability to create a the characteristic crash quite easily. It has a deeper tone much like the chau gong.
A heng gong is thicker and gives more control than the wind gong, but like a wind gong, it is fully lathed, creating a rich array of sounds.
The heng gong has a thick rim and this causes the sound to take a while to build up, creates a longer sustain, and the tone gets deeper as the crash goes on.
Nipple Gong
A nipple gong (called kong nyee in the native Khmer language)is typically made of cast bronze and is thicker or denser than other gong styles. It does not have the strong crashing or shimmering sound that these other gongs have.
This gong is always used with a soft mallet, and it does not matter how hard or soft you hit it, the sound will last the same length of time either way, which is a short period of time compared with more common gong styles.
The nipple gong has two tones, one deeper pitched tone when you hit the nipple (also called the boss) and another higher pitched tone when you hit the area around the nipple.
The nipple gong is used by Buddhists in southeast Asia, China, Indonesia, Mynamar, Burma and Philippines.
I like this gong for sound bath because of the variable tones and deeper pitch when the nipple is struck, but just be aware that it will need to be struck more often than chau or wind gong because of its short reverberation time.
Despite its short reverberation is is a popular choice for baths and this style gong is among the best type of gong for sound healing.
Dora Gong
The Dora Gong is a Japanese instrument that may have originated in China. The Dora Gong is hung from a cord, sometimes made from suede and is hung inside a dora frame, which is a wood frame. The dora gong can also be hung from the ceiling.
They are commonly made from bronze which is an alloy of copper and tin. It fact, the Japanese character used to write the word Dora includes the character for the word for copper in Japanese.
The Dora gong is usually struck by a baton called a batchi, which is a carved wood baton with a soft head made from leather or suede.
The Dora gong has a long lasting resonance and is used for Buddhist memorials because the sound is thought to reach the ¨other shore¨ of the pure land, or the afterlife.
A dora gong can be hard to find, and the only ones I have seen sold are sold as antique gongs and occasionally I will see them online.
Opera Gong or Tiger Gong
An Opera gong is traditionally used to introduce players in the Chinese opera.
Traditionally, they are handheld and are a pair, with the larger gong introducing prominent players, men, and the smaller gong introducing women and less prominent players, or to highlight a humorous portion of the presentation.
As far as sound goes, these gongs have a very short sustain when struck. The larger gong has a descending tone, while the smaller gong has an ascending tone.
The tiger gong is typically larger than an opera gong, and have a descending tone or downward glissando when played.
The tiger gong is able to produce many different effects, and can even be partially submerged in water for further distortion and effect. The Tiger gong can add variety to your sound bath, that’s for sure.
I also love that these gongs are hand held and reasonabe size. They do not need a gong stand, they are easy to travel with and move around a room if you are working with a group sound bath.
Gou Gong or Hmong Shaman Gong
The Hmong people have a distinct culture that includes the practice of shamanism. They had shamans who facilitated contact between the spirit world and the physical world.
These shaman were sought out for healing. The shaman would perform healing rituals where they would cross over into spirit world. One instrument they used, among many, was the Hmong gong, which they believed protected them from spirits in the other world.
They believed that sounding the gong scared away these spirits. The gong was played continuously and rhythmically during the ceremony to help facilitate the hypnotic state the shaman needs to journey to the spirit world.
Today the Hmong style gong is used in sound healing due to its distinct characteristics. The hmong gong is thicker than other gongs, which cause it to have a shorter sustain, meaning the gong does not sound for too long.
The hmong gong has less crash and a more clear sound with a warm tone and less resonance. This type of gong can be struck repeatedly in quick succession, unlike gongs with longer sustain such as a wind gong.
Sound Sample of Hmong Shaman Gong
Silat Gong
Silat is a traditional martial art of Indonesia, a popular and striking martial arts style that is sometimes incorporated into MMA fighting styles.
The Silat gong is used in a music ensemble that follows the rhythm of the Silat performers and adds to the theatrical suspense of this fighting style. The faster the fighters move, the faster the music is played. It’s a true audio visual experience.
The Silat gong has also been used in sound healing, and sound therapy thanks to its unique sound as a steel gong, as opposed to brass or other alloys. It has a deep pitch and short sustain. It is actually one of my favorite sounding drums, as it can be very rhythmic, intense, and hypnotizing.
The silat gong has a raised boss and inner disk and produced a variety of tones, so it is versatile.
Wind gong or Feng Gong
Wind gongs are another popular style gong for sound therapy and among the most affordable gong for sound baths.
The reason?
They have a long sustain, that gives them the capability to reverberate for an extended period of time.
This gong is also capable of making a dramatic crashing sound, which earned it the name Wind gong.
While the reverberation on the wind gong is not as controlled as the Chau gong, it is nevertheless used as a gong for meditation. The sound is energizing and would be good for the wrap up of a meditation to bring folks “back into the room”.
The wind gong originated in China and is typically made from brass, but occasionally is made from a nickel-silver alloy.
Typically, a wind gong is large and many times hung in a gong frame.
Rin Gong, Standing Bell or Tibetan singing bowl
It is very common to see a Tibetan singing bowl in sound therapy, but what might surprise you is that this charming instrument is actually a style of bell that is sometimes also considered a gong.
(The difference between a bell and a gong, technically speaking, is a gong reverberates towards the center and a bell towards the rim when struck with a mallet)
In fact, the use of these bell style gongs as singing bowls, is a relatively modern use. The Traditional Standing bell, or Tibetan bell was used as a bell or gong, not a so called “singing bowl”.
The fact that you can strike this bell, or sing it with a mallet makes this a diverse and popular choice for sound bath and sound therapy. Many even use the singing bowl for personal meditation sessions. In my opinion the singing bowl is the best type of gong for sound healing if you are on a tight budget or have limited space.
If you are looking for more Tibetan gongs for sale, I have a list of Tibetan gong sets here and a list of large Tibetan singing bowls here.
If you are interested in a singing bowl, there are also crystal singing bowls and crystal singing pyramids that have their own unique vibration and you can learn more about these mystical instruments here.
Best Gong for Meditation FAQs
What are Gongs used for?
Traditionally gongs have been used for many diverse purposes.
From highlighting drama in a Chinese opera, adding drama and suspense to a martial arts match, gathering folks to dinner, or as a wakeup call, gongs are used in Buddhist temples and memorial services as well as gongs are used for meditation and sound healing.
This is only a short list of examples of how gongs are used. If you would like to expand on this please leave a comment below so I can add it.What is gong meditation and sound healing?
When struck, a gong creates a reverberation unlike any other instrument. The sound feels hallowed and piercing, driving right to the heart of the listener.
The gong can have a deep calming reverberation that seems to go on forever, or it can have an energizing crash and simmer that awakens your senses.
Either way, there is no denying the vibration of the gong is healing. The vibration of the gong can coax your energy field into resonance with the gongs vibrations, lifting you up, or relaxing you, depending on the gongs own vibration.
The long drone of a gong with a lengthy sustain is conducive to meditation. The Chau gong, known for its seemingly infinite sustain, is one of the best gongs for meditation and sound baths because of this property.Where can I learn how to use gongs in my sound healing Practice?
I have curated this list of resources that may help you learn how to use the gong in your meditation or sound healing practice.
Gong Consciousness: Self-Healing Through the Power of Sound
Gong Consciousness is a great guide book for sound healing practitioners. It is a foundational book aimed at those new to using the gong, yet the book covers everything the practitioner needs to use gongs to target various body and energy conditions. It is a well rounded, easy to digest resource on gong healing.
Gong Therapy
This gong therapy book, written by renown Kundulini Yoga teacher and Vedic astrologist Methab, is geared towards the practice of sound therapy in one on one and group settings. It prepares you by teaching how to create the right environment, how to address the clients specific needs, how to select a gong for sound therapy, using mudras, mantras, and pranayamas Therapeutically and includes a guided meditation and relaxation for gong Therapy.
In the Heart of the Gong Space: The Gong as a Spiritual Tool
The heart of the Gong space is another useful resource for the sound therapy practitioner. It was written by well known sound healing with gong practitioner Sheila Whittaker.
The book offers guidance on technique, talks about the use of other instruments used in sound therapy such as singing bowls and offers some interesting history about gongs.
Where this book is different from the others on this list is that it meanders into esoteric subjects such as expanding consciousness, spiritual growth, astrology, subtle energy and Psychic knowing or intuition enhancement using the gong.
Gongs and Tam-Tams: A Guide for Percussionists, Drummers and Sound Healers
This detailed gong resource digs into the details of the gong itself, including gong types, gong making process, and of course, playing techniques.
This is a well researched book written by a gong enthusiast and sound healing student Phil McNamara, who studied with Sheila Whittaker (author of the book In the heart of the Gong Space) at the College of Sound Healing.
This wraps up our collection of gongs for meditation and gong for sound healing.
If you are interested in other sound healing instruments, why not check out my articles on the eurythmic handpan, the crystal signing pyramid, or the earthy, penetrating shaman drum ?
Thats all for now beautiful souls.
Until next time, love and light to you!
Katie Lyn
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