The box has arrived, or you’ve just gotten home from the music store, and you unpack your Gong. Now what? Hopefully you will have also purchased a proper size mallet and a sturdy stand (this will be covered in a separate lesson).

After setting up your Gong, take your mallet, stand (or sit) in front of your Gong, and lightly strike the center, just like the picture above. Feel the vibrations. Just let them wash over you.  Hit the center a few times, letting the vibrations fade before you hit it again. Try it a little harder to open up the sound more.

Next, strike the face of the Gong between the center and the edge. Notice the difference - there will be more highs and a noticeably crashier sound. Feel how the vibrations are different.

Finally, strike near the edge, where the large center circle meets the darker edge ring. This should give you a powerful crash with a lot of roaring highs. Again, feel the vibrations.

Try striking the outside edge to hear how that sounds. Continue to experiment with your Gong, getting to know how it responds to your touch. Each Gong tends to have its own personality (even 2 Gongs of the same size/type will respond/behave differently), so you need to get to know what each one will do.

The Gong is a very ancient and amazing instrument. Treat it with respect and care and, it will last you a lifetime. Enjoy your experience!

~ MB

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